William R. Bates, Jr.
William “Bill” R. Bates, Jr., 75, of Waynesburg, passed away Monday, June 12, 2023, in Washington Hospital.
He was born September 20, 1947, in Waynesburg, a son of the late William R. and Sarah Snyder Bates, Sr.
Bill was a Greene County resident his whole life. He graduated from Jefferson-Morgan High School in 1966.
Bill served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.
He was employed as a mechanic for the Army Core of Engineers for 28 years until his retirement in 2011.
Bill was happily married for 42 years to Darlene Kay Bates until her passing June 3, 2017.
He was a leader in the 4-H for many years. Bill enjoyed hunting, fishing, watching horse racing, and the Steelers.
He is survived by three children, William R. (Hannah) Bates, III of South Carolina, Chuck (Michelle) Dean of Jefferson, and Michael (Erin Stoll) Bates of Waynesburg; seven grandchildren, Theo, Brant, Noah and Maggie Bates, Dustin, Chelsea and Ike Dean; four great- grandchildren; three siblings, Barbara (Bill) Ankrom of Jefferson, Bob (Pat) Bates of Jefferson, and Patti (Hubert) Ross of Wind Ridge.
In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by three siblings, Gerald and Kenneth Bates, and a sister in infancy.
Friends will be received from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the time of the funeral service, with Pastor Carl Leipold, officiating, Friday, June 16, in Kesterson-Rush Funeral Home, LLC., 3275 W. Roy Furman Hwy., Rogersville, PA 15359 (phone: 724-499-5181). Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 21, at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, where full military honors will be conducted by the United States Marine Corps and the Greene County Honor Guard.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to PA Breast Cancer Coalition, www.pabreastcancer.org.
Please view and sign the tribute wall at www.kestersonfh.com.