Merle Kenneth Bates

Merle Bates WASHINGTON, Iowa #45;- Merle Kenneth Bates, 71, 410 W. Eighth St., Washington, died Saturday, Aug. 3, 2002, at the Lake of the Ozarks after a sudden illness. Services are 10 a.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church, Washington. The Revs. Don Hodson and Tim Detweiler will officiate. Burial will be at Elm Grove Cemetery, Washington, with military rites. Visitation is after 9 a.m. today, with family present 5-8:30 p.m., at the Jones Eden Funeral Home, Washington. Memorials may be made to Crooked Creek Christian Camp and Agriculture Scholarship. Mr. Bates was born on Dec. 28, 1930, in Fairfield, the son of Clifford and Berniece Kane Bates. He married Jean Fritz in July 1953. He graduated from Fairfield High School. He served in the U.S. Airforce during the Korean Conflict. He was a member of the United Methodist Church, the Elks Lodge No. 1192 and Royal Order of the Moose No. 388. He was active in farming commodity groups. His past-times included boating, camping and playing the banjo. He was a lifetime resident of Washington of Jefferson counties. He was a lifetime farmer and retired from Yoder Feeds as a salesman. Survivors include a son,...[more]

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ke Bates and his wife, Karen, of Washington; four daughters, Chris Long and her husband, Phil, of Washington, Kathy Crawford and her husband, Gary, of Mount Pleasant, Jolisa Pfeifer and her husband, George, of Crawfordsville and Mary Bates of Washington; 11 grandchildren; a brother, Paul Bates of Fairfield; a sister, Edith Baker of Washington; and special friend, Barbara Nixon of Fairfield. He was preceded in death by his parents and a granddaughter.