Bruce L. Bates, 97, of Bartlesville died on Tuesday, November 14. Bruce was born on June 16, 1920, in Marble, Arkansas, and was raised by his parents, Gladys Marie (Head) Bates, and James Roger Bates in Northwest Arkansas. He graduated from Gravette (Ark.) high school and from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Chemical Engineering and immediately went to work for Phillips Petroleum in what was then called the Gas & Gas Liquids Group, in Odessa, Texas. In Odessa, he met his beloved wife, Marjorie Mae Matthews, who also worked for Phillips and they were married in Odessa on November 18, 1943. Bruce and Marjorie spent sixty-eight wonderful years together, their union only ending with Marjorie's death on September 11, 2012.
A few years after their marriage, Bruce and Marjorie came to Bartlesville where they lived most of their lives, except for a brief period when Bruce was transferred to Phillips' New York office and they made their home in Summit, New Jersey. Throughout his life, Bruce was active in their church, teaching adult Sunday School there for many years, enjoyed playing bridge, and loved to golf with Marjorie, and his buddies, at Hillcrest Country Club, and travel with Marjorie and their children and grandchildren.
Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, and Marjorie. He is survived by his daughter, Bettisu Casey and her husband Ed of Bartlesville, her daughter Julie Holbert and her son Sam Holbert, his daughter, Alicia Dies and her husband Robb, and their son Luke, of Dallas, Texas, his daughter Courtney Fadley and her husband Ryan, and their sons Clayton and Miles, of Dallas, Texas, and his son Adam and his wife Amber, of Burleson, Texas; son Jim Bates and wife Sharen, of Austin Texas, their daughter Jamie Dudley and her husband Ben and great-grandsons, Nolan and Griffin, and their son Matthew Bates and his wife, Kristin, and great-granddaughter, Evie Mae; son Doug Bates and his wife Janis of Richardson, Texas, and their sons Michael Bates, Garrett Bates and his daughter Kerrigan, Trevor Bates and Stefan Bates; son Richard Bates and his wife Katie of Charlotte, North Carolina, and their daughter Sara Kathryn McCrary and her husband, Alex, and great-granddaughters Margot and Ann Brantley, their son Brent Bates and his wife Mary, and their daughter Tricia Bates.
Memorials have been established in honor of Mr. Bruce L. Bates and contributions may be mailed to First Presbyterian Church, 505 South Dewey, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and/or to Limbs for Life, 9604 N. May Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120 (http://limbsforlife.org).
The family will hold a private memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church in Bartlesville on Saturday, December 2, and a celebration of Bruce Bates's life will be hosted by the family at Hillcrest Country Club from 2:30 – 4:30, December 2nd, following the private memorial. Cremation arrangements were provided by the Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory.