Delbert Bates, 81 / April 17, 1929 – April 25, 2010

Published 12:53 pm Thursday, April 29, 2010

Delbert A. Bates, 81, of East Donald Roadway, Donnell Lake, Vandalia passed away on Sunday, April 25, 2010 in his brother’s home in Cassopolis.
He was born April 17, 1929 in Goshen to the late Noah C. and Doris (Lewallen) Bates, and moved to this area from Goshen in 1955.
Delbert was a retired truck driver and worked with the Local 364 of the Teamsters union. He loved the Old West and enjoyed watching the old westerns on TV. He was an outdoorsman and loved any kind of hunting.
He married the former Dorothy M. Newman on March 15, 1969 in Niles, and she survives. He is also survived by three sons, Delbert John Bates, of Cassopolis, Bill Bates, of Elkhart and David (Sharon) Bates, of Coldwater, Mich.; a stepson, Jerry (Sharon) Tucker, of Elkhart; six grandchildren; one grea-grandchild; a sister, Sarah (Tom) Snyder, of Edwardsburg; a brother, Dan (Lou Anne) Bates, of Cassopolis; a half-sister, Arliss Woodward, of Paulding, Ohio; a half-brother, Kenneth Michael, of Elkhart.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Debbie Bates; two brothers, George Bates and Philip Bates; and a half-sister, Emily J. Kern.
Cremation will take place and a memorial service will be held Friday, April 30, 2010 at 1 p.m. at Penn Friends Community Church, 19107 Quaker St., Cassopolis. Officiating will be his friend, Robert Yoder, of Cassopolis.
Internment of the cremains will be at New Paris Cemetery, New Paris, Ind. Military honors will be rendered by members of the Efton James American Legion Post 206 and William E. Lozier VFW Post 10704, both of Cassopolis.
Memorials may be made to the Donnell Lake Conservation Club, Vandalia.
Connelly Funeral Home, Cassopolis is handling arrangements.
Online condolences can be left at connellyfuneralhome@verizon.net.