Ray Bates

Ray Bates, 93, of Van Wert passed away at 8:03 a.m., Saturday at Hearth & Home, Van Wert.

He was born on September 19, 1926, in Van Wert the son of the late Ray Bates, Sr. and Jennie Ellen (Potts) Bates. On September 19, 1951, in Somerville, MA he married Florence Winifred “Flo” (Carroll) Bates who died on June 18, 2009.

Family survivors include his four children, Nancy (Larry) Taylor of Gahanna, OH, Virginia “Ginger” (Chris) Service of Van Wert, Kathleen “Kathy” (Tony) Sprague of Ft. Wayne, IN and Patricia “Patti” Mathew of Van Wert; nine grandchildren; Heather (Travis) Custer, Jaclyn (Chris) Malfara, Kristen (Ryan) Spurgeon, Kelly (Josh) Avalos, Adam Service, Alex (Yang) Service, Michelle Florence (Nate), Clint (Lindsay) Mathew and Lauren (Josh) Lutz; 10 great grandchildren; one brother, Thomas (Barbara) Bates of Van Wert and one sister, Mary Tierney of Van Wert.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Terry L. Bates and one sister, Helen Louise Censullo.

Ray worked as a Machine Operator at the Chrysler Corporation, he was a 1945 graduate of Van Wert High School, he also was a U. S. Army Veteran serving from January 15, 1945 - November 29, 1946, he was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, he was a member of the American Legion Post 178, Van Wert, and a member of Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 16, 2020, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home with Pastor W. Clark Williman officiating. Interment will follow at Woodland Cemetery with combined military rites by the American Legion Post 178 and the VFW. Calling hours are 3:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday and noon until time of services on Wednesday.

Preferred memorials are to the American Legion Post 178 and VFW.

Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded at cowanfuneralhome.com.

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