Freestone County, Texas
Obits




The Teague Chroncile - May 3, 2007

JAMES ALTON BATES

Funeral services for James Alton Bates, 67, of Mexia, Texas, were held on 
Wednesday, May 2, 2007, at Tehuacana United Methodist Church. Interment followed
at the Tehuacana Cemetery. Rev. Michael Redmond and Rev. Brad Brittain 
officiated.

Mr. Bates was born on January 9, 1940, in Mexia, Texas to Barney Alton and 
Bettie Faye Pope Bates and passed away on April 30, 2007, at Parkview Regional 
Hospital in Mexia, Texas.

Mr. Bates was a retired rancher. He served in the National Guard for three 
years and was a member of the Methodist Church.

Survivors are Janet McLean and his children Liz Vest and husband Jeffrey of 
Mexia, David Bates and wife Dorothy and Sheila Bates of Mexia, his 
grandchildren Larry Bates, Jeff and Haley Vest, Cody Bates, his brother Ronnie
Duke of Mesquite and his sister Patricia Duke, his aunt and uncle John and 
Bonnie Beal of Ft. Worth and a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Alton and Sybil Bates and Floyd and 
Bettie Duke.

Pallbearers for Mr. Bates were Larry Ferguson, Kenny Buyher, Dennis Ferguson, 
Ronnie Ferguson, Gary Ferguson, Daryl Ferguson, Steve Ferguson, Lane Taylor 
and Terry Taylor.

Honorary pallbearers were Buckwheat Morton, Louie Masters, Zeke Rhodes, Jerry 
Allen, Bo Morton, Rocky McLean, Darrell McLean, Flint McLean, Shane McLean, 
Justin McLean, Dennis Walker, Roy McNeal, Billy Blanchard, J.D. Lamb and Robert
Pat Smith.

Blair-Stubbs Funeral Home of Mexia was in charge of the arrangements.