By Staff
April 17, 2005
Funeral for Earsie Howell Bates, 75, of Falkville was Tuesday, April 19, at 11 a.m. at Ebenezer Freewill Baptist Church with the Revs. Mark Kelly and Gary Miller officiating.
Burial was in Ebenezer Cemetery.
Mr. Bates died Sunday, April 17, 2005, at his residence. He was born June 26, 1929, in Morgan County to John "Burnner" Bates and Audie "Texie" Bates. He was a member of the Ebenezer Freewill Baptist Church. He was founder of the Ebenezer Fire Department and served 18 years as Fire Chief. He was also the founder of Ebenezer Community Watch and a dispatcher for 37 years. He was an honorary Deputy of Morgan County Sheriff's Department for 38 years. Mr. Bates was preceded in death by one daughter, Wanda Kay Bates; two brothers, Clyde J. Bates and Nukie Bates; and one sister, Magaline Bates.
He is survived by his wife, Roberta Taylor Bates of Falkville; two daughters, Jeannie Jacobs and Joyce Griffin and husband Junior, all of Falkville; three brothers, Hubert L. Bates and wife Maxine, of Shalimar, Fla., Larry J. Bates and wife Jenell, of Hartselle, and James R. Bates and wife Marie, of Decatur; nine grandchildren, Jamie Emerson and wife Amanda, of Bogart, Ga., Jennifer Jacobs, Justin Jacobs, and Junior Kritner and wife Amy, all of Falkville, Mary Burrell and husband Glenn of Mount Airy, Ga., Kay Denton and husband Tommy, and Connie Tidwell, all of Tocca, Ga., Nancy Kritner of Wetumpka, and Kelly Tidwell, of Tullahoma, Tenn.,; 12 great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives, friends and neighbors.
Pallbearers were Jamie Emerson, Junior Kritner, Justin Jacobs, Danny Speakman, John Bates and Junior Bates.
Honorary pallbearers were the Ebenezer Fire Department.