Obituary of Joseph R. Bates

Joseph R. Bates February 04, 1921 - October 04, 2006 Joseph R. Bates, age 85, of Plantation Dr., Vero Beach, Fla., formerly of New Fairfield died October 4, 2006 of natural causes at the Vero Beach Medical Center, Vero Beach, FL. He was the devoted husband Grace (Monroe) Bates. He was born in Mt. Vernon, NY on February 4, 1921, the son of the late Gertrude (Jenks) Banham and the late Joseph R. Bates, Sr. Mr. Bates attended the Curtis School in Brookfield he graduated from Mt. Vernon High School and attended Bucknell University. Joe was a veteran of WWII having enlisted in the United States Army immediately after Pearl Harbor. He served in Co. C 99th Signal Battalion in New Guinea and the Philippines. He was a recipient of the Good Conduct Medal; Philippines Presidential Unit Citation and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the Philippine Liberation Medal with Bronze Star. He was very active in the New Fairfield community having served as Town Treasurer, was a member of the Recreation Commission as well as various other boards. He was a charter member of the New Fairfield Lions Club which received its charter in 1952 and he co-founded the New Fairfield Lions Club Little League in the mid 1950s. Mr. Bates was employed by the Goos Lumber Co. for over 35 years and retired as co-owner of the Decorator Emporium and Hardware, Inc. Besides his wife of 60 years, he survived by a daughter: Kathleen A. Bates of Danbury; a son: J. Robert Bates and his wife Cathlene of Vermont and Vero Beach, FL; 2 cousins, Harold Jenks and William Jenks both of New Fairfield. Funeral Information The Funeral Service will be held on Friday, October 20, 2006 at 2:00 PM at the Cornell Memorial Home, 247 White St., Danbury. Burial with full military honors will follow at Gerow Cemetery, New Fairfield. Donations Information At the request of the family, memorial contributions may be sent to St. Jude's Children Hospital, 501 St. Jude's Place, Memphis, TN 38101 or to the New Fairfield Veteran's Assoc. PO Box 8088, New Fairfield, CT 06812.