Otis "Byron" Bates

Otis “ BYRON” Bates”, 84, of Stigler, peacefully, in an instant, passed away Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at home in the arms of his son . He was born June 16, 1934 in Keota, OK. to Clarence Otis and Opal Emily (Cole) Bates. Byron graduated from Stigler High School and attended college at Oklahoma A & M briefly before enlisting in the Navy in 1952 during the Korean War. He served in El Centro, California as an aircraft mechanic and in Iceland as a crewmember of an anti-submarine P2V-7 aircraft patrolling the Atlantic. He received an honorable discharge in 1956. After his enlistment he worked in the insurance business as an Independent Catastrophic Loss Adjuster while also being fully vested in farming, ranching, and raising all types of livestock. In 1961 Byron married Gayle Moore of Tulsa and adopted her two sons Doug & Don and they had two sons Randy & Gary. For most of the next 14 years they raised their family in Piedmont, Oklahoma. In 1981 as a single father he met and married the love of his life, Kaaren Harmon of Oklahoma City. Byron & Kaaren retired in 1997 and moved from Piedmont back to his hometown, Stigler, Oklahoma, to live out the remaining years of his life as a cattle rancher where his wife Kaaren preceded him in death in 2001. Byron is survived by his two sons, Randy Bates of Yukon, OK., Gary Bates of Stigler; his two adopted sons, Doug Bates of San Diego, California and Don Bates of Guthrie, OK.; his grandchildren, Blake & Anessa Bates and Corey Bates of Oklahoma City, Elana Bates & Sarah Cordial Bates of San Diego, California; 6 great grandchildren, Jaxon, Willow, Grayson, Ezra, Zoe & Evalina; his sister, Lois Weir of Anchorage, Alaska; two sisters-in-law, Jenny Bates of Owasso and Pat Bates of Claremore. Byron is preceded in death by his parents, Clarence Otis & Opal Bates; his wife Kaaren Bates; his sister, Virginia (Bates) Gulley; his two brothers, Phillip Bates & Bruce Bates. A Memorial Service will be held to honor and celebrate the life of Byron at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, March 30, 2019 at THE WELL, 405 E. Main Street, Stigler, Oklahoma. In Lieu of flowers, you may honor Byron by donating towards his favorite Mission Project, drilling water wells & building churches in India. Make checks payable to THE WELL at P.O. Box 180 Stigler, Ok. 74462 with “Byron Bates Mission Project” on the memo line.

Otis "Byron" Bates

June 16, 1934 - March 20, 2019