Obituaries: Donald Wayne Bates, 1962, Winn Parish, LA.
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: December 6, 1962 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American

Calvin Youth Drowns In Cane River Lake

Funeral services were scheduled for 3 p.m. today in the Bethlehem Baptist
Church north of Calvin for Donald Wayne Bates, 19, who drowned accidentally in
the Cane River Lake at Natchitoches Friday night.

The youth was the son of Rev. and Mrs. L. Merle Bates of Calvin and was a
sophomore business major at Northwestern.

According to authorities, the youth and five companions were on an outing
about 8:30 p.m. Friday on the lake bank when Bates made a comment about taking
a swim and left.

He did not return, and some of the party made a check by the lake bank.

They left and reported to Sidney O'Bryan, an NSC student and Bates' cousin.

O'Bryan began a check and Saturday morning tried to determine if Bates was in
class.

It developed that a Donald Bates was in class and another class check produced
the same results on Monday.

Tuesday, O'Bryan and college officials discovered that the Donald Bates in
class was actually Donald M. Bates and not the Donald Wayne Bates they sought. 


The family was notified Tuesday night of the absence.

Wednesday noon, a dragging operation was being set up on Cane River.

Sheriff Sanford Jordan, State Police Sgt. Clarence Bates, the youth's great
uncle, and Dee Canerday, discovered the body surfaced just south of the river
bridge.

The youth was graduated from Calvin High School in 1961.

In addition to his parents, survivors include two brothers, Kenneth and Bobby
of Calvin; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Bates, Calvin, and Mr. and
Mrs. Leroy Free of Pleasant Hill.

The Rev. C. C. Martin, Pastor of Laurel Heights Baptist Church was to conduct
the services with burial to follow in the church cemetery under direction of
Southern Funeral Home.

Ronald D. Canerday, Benny Canerday, Martin Burnum, Jimmy Maxey, Odis Wall,
DeWayne Garrett, Sidney O'Bryan, and Ed McKee were to serve as pallbearers.