Obituary of Lawrence O. Bates

Lawrence O. Bates was born Mar. 30, 1930, in Success, Missouri, to Franklin George Bates and Rebecca Trusty "Katy" (Platter) Bates. After a lengthy illness, Lawrence passed away November 26,2016, at his home in Licking, Missouri. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia Bates; son, Alan Bates; daughter, Carol Roling and husband, Chuck; grandsons, Chaz Roling and Cliff Roling; sisters-in- law, Florine Bates and Shirley Bates; nephews, Howard Blankenship, Bill Price, Leroy Bates, Jeffrey Wohlwend, Mike Bates, Phil Bates, Dale Clark, Gene Clark, Daniel Walker, and Fredrick Walker; nieces, Twyla Hackman, Karla Mansfield, Judy Parsons, Donna Moon,and Kimberly Tarkington. Lawrence was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Tony Bates; sisters, Pearl Blankenship, Martha Price, and Margarette Wohlwend; brothers, William "Bill" Bates, Charles Albert Bates, George Henry Harrison Bates and Donald Harold Bates; sisters-in-law, Molly Bates and Ruth Bates; brothers-in-law, Harold Price, Don Wohlwend, Ernest Blankenship, and nephew, William Walker IV. Lawrence met Sylvia Jewel Smith in 1954, and they were married Mar. 27, 1955. Lawrence was a loyal and loving husband, father, grandfather, and a friend of many. He will be remembered and greatly missed! Lawrence served in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954, attaining the rank of SSG in the Korean War. During his teen years, he traveled to the west coast with his brothers, Charles and Bill, working as seasonal workers. Later, he worked in St. Louis, Missouri, and Des Moines, Iowa. Lawrence worked as a Forklift Operator at Fort Leonard Wood Army Base, both before and after serving in the U.S. Army. Other jobs included pallet mill worker, school bus driver, and he owned the Pool Hall in Licking. Later he owned and operated his own dump truck business until he retired. His dump trucks were always sharp looking and cleaned daily. Lawrence loved spending time with his family and friends. His two grandsons were very special to him. He liked to reminisce about growing up in Old Success, Missouri. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, especially floating on Big Piney River, and a fishing trip to Canada. Lawrence and Sylvia enjoyed many scenic trips and had visited 48 states plus Canada. Lawrence was always a car enthusiast. He had many classic cars, including a 1931 Model A. His favorite was a 1937 Chevrolet Coupe, like one he had when he was 18 years old. He enjoyed participating in car shows, and occasionally, local parades.