Dearrel 'D.B.' Bates

Dearrel 'D.B.' Bates MUSCATINE, Iowa -- Dearrel "D.B." Bates, 68, of Davenport, passed away unexpectedly late Friday night, October 23, 2009, in Bettendorf. Funeral Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, at the Grace United Methodist Church, Davenport. Cremation will follow the service. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, at the Runge Mortuary & Crematory. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family for the development of a scholarship fund or to Grace United Methodist Church. Dearrel was born on August 6, 1941, in Muscatine, the son of Raymond and Helen Schaer Bates. He married Janet Berry on September 15, 1963, in Muscatine. Throughout his career as a sports writer, he had received many honors and awards including: Sportwriter of the Year awarded in 1979 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters; the Chuck Burdick-Jack Ogden Media Awards in 1985 and 1995; Iowa Newspaper Foundation Best Sports Story, Class 4 in 1986; the News Media Award from the Iowa High School Athletic Association in 1989; the Mike Henderson Media Award-Drake Relays in 2005; Davenport Elks Lodge No. 298 Citizen of the Year, 2005...[more]

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; and the Quad Cities Sports Hall of Fame 2007. His memberships included Grace United Methodist Church, Iowa High School Athletic Association, and Quad City Grid Club. Following his retirement in August 2006, he served as a volunteer at McKinley Elementary School in Davenport, enjoyed traveling, spending time with his family, and continued to serve as secretary for the A.M. Hawkeye Bowling League, where he received a 15 year plaque in 1996. Survivors include his wife, Janet Bates of Davenport; a son, Bradley Bates; two daughters, Debra Meyne and husband, Vern, and Lori Bates and special friend, Robert Heitoff; two granddaughters, Caleista and Savanah Meyne; two brothers, Roger and Tom Bates; and his mother, Helen Bates. He was preceded in death by his father.