Name of Deceased: Donald E. Cates                                                   Age: 67

Date of Death: April 22, 2014                                                 Place of Death: Rural Pawnee County, Kansas

Date of Birth: October 8, 1946 at Cushing, Oklahoma     Parents Name: V. E. & Thelma J. (Gower) Cates

 

OBITUARY INFORMATION

Married Ginger Krug May 29, 1965 at Pratt, Kansas.

Mr. Cates was a Claflin, Kansas resident.

He was a United States Army veteran, serving during the Vietnam Conflict. 

He was a member of First Southern Baptist Church, Great Bend; and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, Claflin.  He was an active public servant, serving on many community committees.  He was owner and operator of the 94 Store, Claflin, Barton County Commissioner, retired commercial airline pilot, and was a pilot for Pratt Farmers Spraying Service.

 

SURVIVORS

Wife: Ginger Cates, of the home

Mother, Thelma J. Cates of Claflin, KS

three daughters: Debbie Craft and her husband Dennis of Wichita, KS, Charlotte Kluza of Great Bend, KS, and Kim Maples and her husband Chris of Eudora, KS

five brothers: Bruce Cates of Driftwood, TX, Raymond Cates of Fort Worth, TX, Bob Cates of Claflin, KS, Steven Cates of Emporia, KS, and Barry Cates of Guyton, GA

one sister: Myra Prosser of Claflin, KS

seven grandchildren: Savanna Outley and her husband Brian, Jaclyn Camarotti and her husband Teo, Jessica Craft, Vincent Craft, Christopher Cates and his wife Jennifer, Kayla Maples, and Corey Maples

ten great-grandchildren: Skyle Outley, Ethan Outley, Kaydnce Outley, Skylar Meyer, Tyler Meyer, Kyri Cates, Jacob Hayes, Mercedes Cates, Monte Cates, and Kaelyn Cates

numerous nieces and nephews

 

He was preceded in death by his father, one infant sister, Deborah Ann Cates, one nephew, Travis Cates, and one great-granddaughter, Spirit Rae Meyer.

 

SERVICE INFORMATION

Funeral Service: 2:00 p.m., Saturday, April 26, 2014 at First Southern Baptist Church in Great Bend

Officiant: The Reverend Dr. Doyle Smith

Interment: Claflin Cemetery, Claflin, Kansas with military rites by Fort Riley Honor Guard

Visitation:  Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday, April 25, 2014 and 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 26, 2014 at Bryant Funeral Home.  The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday at the funeral home.

Memorial Fund: Vivan and Thelma Cates Scholarship Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home

 

Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net

                      Arrangements by    Bryant Funeral Home         1425 Patton Road       Great Bend, Kansas                      67530