Coach Clair Lewis Bates, 93 of Van Buren died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007 at a local nursing home. He coached football at St. Anne's (1934-36), Alma (1936-41) and Van Buren (1932-67), coached one year at Van Buren in 1942 before joining the Army and was a veteran of WW II. He attended Ft Smith schools and College of the Ozarks. He was inducted into the Arkansas sports Hall of Fame in 1987 and was chosen for inaugural class of the Arkansas H.S. Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995.
He is survived by his wife, Evora James Bates of Van Buren; 2 sons, George Bates of Fyetteville and Robert Warren of Elkins; 2 stepdaughters, Debbie Thomas and Barbara James, both of Van Buren; and one stepson, Larry James of Bettendorf, Iowa.He had 14 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan 20, 2007, at Van Buren High School Gym (Clair Bates Gym) with a private graveside burial at US National Cemetery in Ft. Smith, Monday, 11 a.m. under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home in Van Buren.
Pallbearers: Benton Cone, Earl Robinson, Jim Wyatt, Frankie Vines, Gary Autry, Johnny Parker, Bill Wyatt, Dennis Pendergrass, Roger Bates, Rick Taylor, Jimmy Bell.
Honary pallbearers: Teachers and coaches, former football and basketball players, and caregivers at Brownwood Manor.
Source-Times Record, Ft. Smith, Arkansas January 18, 2007
He is survived by his wife, Evora James Bates of Van Buren; 2 sons, George Bates of Fyetteville and Robert Warren of Elkins; 2 stepdaughters, Debbie Thomas and Barbara James, both of Van Buren; and one stepson, Larry James of Bettendorf, Iowa.He had 14 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan 20, 2007, at Van Buren High School Gym (Clair Bates Gym) with a private graveside burial at US National Cemetery in Ft. Smith, Monday, 11 a.m. under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home in Van Buren.
Pallbearers: Benton Cone, Earl Robinson, Jim Wyatt, Frankie Vines, Gary Autry, Johnny Parker, Bill Wyatt, Dennis Pendergrass, Roger Bates, Rick Taylor, Jimmy Bell.
Honary pallbearers: Teachers and coaches, former football and basketball players, and caregivers at Brownwood Manor.
Source-Times Record, Ft. Smith, Arkansas January 18, 2007
Coach Clair Lewis Bates, 93 of Van Buren died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007 at a local nursing home. He coached football at St. Anne's (1934-36), Alma (1936-41) and Van Buren (1932-67), coached one year at Van Buren in 1942 before joining the Army and was a veteran of WW II. He attended Ft Smith schools and College of the Ozarks. He was inducted into the Arkansas sports Hall of Fame in 1987 and was chosen for inaugural class of the Arkansas H.S. Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995.
He is survived by his wife, Evora James Bates of Van Buren; 2 sons, George Bates of Fyetteville and Robert Warren of Elkins; 2 stepdaughters, Debbie Thomas and Barbara James, both of Van Buren; and one stepson, Larry James of Bettendorf, Iowa.He had 14 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan 20, 2007, at Van Buren High School Gym (Clair Bates Gym) with a private graveside burial at US National Cemetery in Ft. Smith, Monday, 11 a.m. under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home in Van Buren.
Pallbearers: Benton Cone, Earl Robinson, Jim Wyatt, Frankie Vines, Gary Autry, Johnny Parker, Bill Wyatt, Dennis Pendergrass, Roger Bates, Rick Taylor, Jimmy Bell.
Honary pallbearers: Teachers and coaches, former football and basketball players, and caregivers at Brownwood Manor.
Source-Times Record, Ft. Smith, Arkansas January 18, 2007
He is survived by his wife, Evora James Bates of Van Buren; 2 sons, George Bates of Fyetteville and Robert Warren of Elkins; 2 stepdaughters, Debbie Thomas and Barbara James, both of Van Buren; and one stepson, Larry James of Bettendorf, Iowa.He had 14 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan 20, 2007, at Van Buren High School Gym (Clair Bates Gym) with a private graveside burial at US National Cemetery in Ft. Smith, Monday, 11 a.m. under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home in Van Buren.
Pallbearers: Benton Cone, Earl Robinson, Jim Wyatt, Frankie Vines, Gary Autry, Johnny Parker, Bill Wyatt, Dennis Pendergrass, Roger Bates, Rick Taylor, Jimmy Bell.
Honary pallbearers: Teachers and coaches, former football and basketball players, and caregivers at Brownwood Manor.
Source-Times Record, Ft. Smith, Arkansas January 18, 2007
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