Claude Thomas Bates

Hartselle, AL

A Celebration of Life for Claude Thomas “Tom” Bates, 93 will be Saturday, March 28, 2015 at Roselawn Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive visitors at 10:00am with a memorial service in the chapel at 11:00am. Burial will follow in the Napp Family Cemetery.

Mr. Bates, was born November 13, 1921, in Morgan County to Frank and Fannie Bates. He passed away on February 26, 2015. He was a member of Oak Ridge Baptist Church. He devoted his life to the Lord, his community and his family and was a World War II Veteran. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers Richard “Dick” Bates, Herbert “Buddy” Bates and Jackie Bates, one sister, Mamie Townsend (James), his second wife Tera McConnell Bates, the mother of his children and wife Della Ruth Parker Bates and a grandson, William “Wes” Brown.

Survivors include one sister, Marie Bynum (Howard) of Tulsa, Oklahoma four daughters, Faye Burton (Wayne) of Huntsville, Wanda Merrell (Joe) of Florida, Sherry Woodard (Bruce) of Tennessee and Vanita Brown (Bucky) of Decatur; one step-daughter Angelia Whitehead (Tommy) of Hartselle; two step-sons, Robert McConnell (Linda) and Gerrald McConnell (Jill); 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Patrick Stapler, Tommy Verble, Brad Merrell, Stan Merrell, Whit Merrell, Nick Woodard, Parker Woodard and Paul Vandiver.