Name: Striffler-Hamby Mortuary - Columbus
Address: Columbus, GA

     Pastor Dan and I served in the Army together in West Berlin from 1975 to 1978. In fact, his wife, Pat, baked our November 3, 1975 wedding cake. I cherished our friendship with the Gates family and was thrilled to renew our friendship when I was assigned to Fort Benning in Columbus in 1980. 
     Dan was my very helpful guide and mentor during my first few months at the Armed Forces Network Berlin. I shall miss him.
                                                .....Richard (Honolulu)

Dear Mrs. Pat,

I have just learned today of your loss of your dear husband, I am so sorry my prayers go out to you and your family, Pastor dan was a very nice man, and i know will be truly missed. much love to you ms pat.

Dear Gates Family,
Mr. Gates served the Lord well he is with him and his league of angels and  others who have passed before him, i am sure that God had plans for him in Heaven, I am deeply saddened by hearing this but joyous because he is living the real life, he is not gone from my mind but remembered, he has been a crucial part to people who needed him, he was there for me and alot of others, i thank God for the time we did have with him here, i am sure that we will meet again as we all will in Heaven, may God be with you in this sorrow and comfort you all. Dan was a great man, who touched the lives of others, he is not forgotten but will always be remembered. 


Leyla

Pastor Dan,
Thank you for being such a special part of my life.  You are missed already but I know I will see you again one day.  Thank you for your love and care.

Pastor Dan was a true friend and will greatly missed.

Our loss is heaven's gain. 

 Dan Gates was one of the kindest, most compassionate people I have ever known.  It didn't seem to matter to him which side of town you lived on, whether you wore designer clothes or hand-me-downs from Goodwill, what kind of car you drove, what your job title was, etc.  If anything, he seemed to especially love the down-and-outs, the misfits, the ones everybody else had given up on.  For an example, I was in a Sunday School Class at East Highland that Dan was teaching.  There was a lady in the class who was getting up constantly, going in and out, and really getting on everybody's last nerve. Dan saw our expressions.   While she was out, Dan stopped his lesson.  He said, "Folks, we have got to be patient with her and love her.  She has some medical problems and cannot sit still."  That was Dan.

What a legacy for his family and for all who knew and loved him.  

Pat, know that we are praying for you and your family.

Dear Pat and family.   You are all in my prayers. We all know Pastor Dan is with our Lord and not hurting anymore and we will join him someday.  Pastor Dan touched and loved many and his love lives on through his family and friends. He was truly a man of God and helped me and my family through many hard times. I will forever be thankful for his love and prayers. We will all miss him, but have God's promises of seeing each other again.With love and Prayers in Christ Linda Mihal

He was the greatest man I've ever known ... a Vietnam Vet, a Patriot, a wonderful father, and a true Man of God! I will live the rest of my days trying to live up to the standards he set for all of us through Jesus Christ. You are still my hero dad!

For nearly 20 years, Dan , Pat, Jonathan and Alan have been family to me and mine.Dan shared in my joys and pains - I learned how to pray by meeting with him and Pastor Jerry Sauls every week for 12 years - his life was animated by a fire from heaven that resulted in an all-consuming desire to preach Jesus to the world. He was a mentor to me and it is my prayer that God would ignite my soul with the very flame that burned within Dan. Only Heaven knows of the lives that have been changed for time and eternity by the life of this Man of God.

I miss him already and will love him always

Until we meet again...

Many years ago, during a visit to Columbus, I attended East Highland United Methodist Church with my aunt, Shirley Jones.  Years later, in 2008, I had the pleasure of speaking with Pastor Dan, as I became a part of the eprayerteam.  Since, I have been in communication with Pastor Dan and Jonathan via various emails for the eprayerteam and ThankYouSoldier.com.  I feel as though I am a part of the Gates’ family.  That is just the way they make you feel.  Pastor Dan IS one of the most beautiful Christian examples I have ever known.  My heart aches for his family, as I have only known him briefly, but I feel as though I have lost a best friend.  I know he is now in Heaven, safe, completely healed and overjoyed, but he most certainly will be missed!  My prayers are with you dearest Gates family.  I pray that Our Most Precious Heavenly Father fills each of you with complete peace and joy, as you remember this wonderful husband, father, friend, and the beautiful blessing he continues to be!  
GOD BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY!!!
LOVE,

Dan was always a joy to be around. Now his family is his continued witness. As I watched your faces today at the memorial service I could see the joy you shared in life with Dan and know his memories will be with you always. My prayers are with you. You are his living legacy and witness.

What a beautiful ceremony.  Mark, Jerry, Norman and Shane spoke nothing but the facts about Dan even though he would have to disagree with some of it!  I loved Dan and was privileged to know him for many years.  You could always expect a prayer with you if you ever told him of any trouble you were going through.  He was definitely "God's Good Man" and he served his "Beautiful God" with everything he had.  Peace be with you Pat and the entire family.
Love,
Jeanne McCrum

Susan and I thank God for the privilege of knowing Dan and calling him our friend and colleage. We praise God for his unwavering faith in and witness for our Lord Jesus. Our prayers are with Pat and his family.

Thank you, Pastor Dan, for crossing my path. Your precious family will continue to be in my prayers. You will be missed but I will see you in Heaven when my life here on earth is over.

What a testiment to God Dan was.  He showed the love of God in all that he did and said.  He taught us all to be better Christians.  He prayed with us and for us when we needed him.  He taught me how to pray and encouraged me even when I didn't think I needed encouragement.  He will be truly missed.

My thoughts and prayers are with your family during this sad time. Bro. Dan was a favorite of mine in the Columbus District. I enjoyed so much hearing him sing and he was a wonderful minister. He will surely be missed. God Bless Your Family.

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

I can not find the words to express how sad my heart is to hear the news of Danny's passing. I have great memories of Danny coming home with Pat and the boys when I was young. I feel privledged to not only to have known Danny but to also be his family. My heart aches to not be there for the services...May God bless Pat and the boys and comfort them through this time. I will always remember his smile and kindness and what blessing he truly was to everyone he met. 
With deepest Sympathy, Love and prayers, 
Kim Stacy Rose and Family(Ikes Fork, WV)

I shared a very short time with Pastor Dan, but we exchanged stories and pictures. We are distant cousins. What a joy it was to have this man in my life, even just a short time. Just as he shared this time, he would want you to be with God in Heaven when your life is done on earth. May God comfort the Gates family. God Bless All, George Gates, Scio, Ohio

Rev. Gates was one of the nicest people you could ever meet.  It was truly a blessing to know his family. He will be missed. The Gates Family, you are in my prayers. God be with you.

Dear Pat and family, I am so sorry for your loss, Pastor Dan was a terrific person and was especially good to us Embroidery Ladies.  He was much loved and respected by this group of ladies.

With sympathy and prayers to you all.

Roberta, Macon, GA

 Tuesday this earth lost another good man. Pastor Dan Gates pasted away after a 10 month battle with cancer. He was the Pastor of East Highlands UMC of Columbus, GA. The man that performed the wedding of Lisa and I, was former US Army Staff Sargent, Vietnam Veteran and most of all, my friend. Please remember his family in your prayers.

Dan was the first Pastor that I remember as a child.  I have many fond memories of growing up in the church with him and his family.  He will truly be missed and always remembered for the outstanding person and Pastor that he was!  May God bless and keep his family!  Your church family from Chauncey Methodist love yall!

Dan Gates was a great pastor and friend! He made a great impact on our lives when he served the Chauncey Methodist Church!  Our sympathy goes out to all of his family!!!

Dan meant a lot to me and my family. All members of Chauncey Methodist Church were fortunate to have known and him.  He was a great pastor and friend.

Dan and his family meant so much to Dusty and me.  To see his grandchildren accept Jesus has been such a blessing.  He is loved by so many and his legacy will live on and on through those who have been saved. His work is not done, we now have that torch that he has passed to us.  Dan, we know you are smiling and still singing "Death Ain't No Big Deal."  We love you.

Words cannot express the sorrow of the loss of this special man. Pastor Dan was always available to meet the needs of anyone needing his help.We will certainly miss him.

Our hearts are deeply grieved for and with you in the death of your beloved Pastor Dan -husband, dad and grandfather--and friend in the Lord to countless of us who so wish we could be there to honor his life in the service tomorrow. We have prayed earnestly since the day we learned of his illness for his healing--now we praise God for the reality of Heaven where Dan is completely whole and enjoying the Presence of the ONE who has prepared a place for all who love and trust Him. Please know that our continued prayers will be with all of you during the days ahead. In Christ, Verdell Martin, Sandy and Cuyler Dunbar

Pat and Family,

Please know that you all are in my prayers during this time of loss. May Christ Jesus continue to comfort and keep you.

Dear Pat, Jonathan and Alan, Im so sorry for your loss of Dan. I know it has been years since we have spoke but I loved him so much and have such wonderful memories of him and how he was always there for me and my family. I love you all and pray that you have peace knowing he is with God now.
I Love You, Kelly V.

May God's Grace and Love Comfort you. Dan was my midweek Pastor and I have enjoyed his friendship for several years now. He was a true Patriot and will be sorely missed. In Christian Love.

Billy Webb
Leesburg,Ga

I know that Dan is in a wonderful place.  He was a blessing to me, and I have not ever met him, but he has prayed for me and my friends that were in need.  I pray that his family will be comforted by all of the wonderful deeds that he has done, and everyone that loved him.

My family and I are very sorry for the loss of Pastor Dan, he was a great Man of God.  He was loved and cherished by all who knew him.  He will be greatly missed on this earth.  I am especially greatful for all he has done for me in my life.  I look forward to the day I will see him again in Heaven.

Dan was always there for me.  He was an inspiration for me and my family.  He helped us through many sorrows and joys.  A great friend, listener and warrior for God.  I'll always love and miss him.

My sympathy to you nurse Pat, Jonathan, Alan, and all the Gates family. Pastor Dan helped me before traveling on a missions trip last year and he didn't even know me. A true Man of God indeed! He is now healed and in heaven with the Lord. No more pain and suffering. How glorious! On the other hand, I must be selfish to say, I am sad and truly believed he would be healed here on earth with a more powerful voice than before. I longed to travel to Columbus and hear the voice of God through Pastor Dan. He is truly missed!

Our sympathy to all of your family in the loss of Pastor Dan.  He was so helpful to our family during the loss of our brother, Michael Crocker.  Michael was mentally handicapped, but Pastor Dan saw him as an instrument of God's love in our lives.  Pastor Dan was a shining example of God's love, also.  We know that he is Heaven, but also still remains here in our hearts.
Love and prayers to all of you.

I still can't believe he is gone, he was changed so many lives, so many hearts, And one of those was mine, he and Easthighland are the reason I chose to move to columbus. He will be truly missed and my prayers are with his family!  I love you Pastor 
Dan


Love Margie Shaw

Pastor Dan DID preach as if he had a direct line to heaven.  He could make a sermon really speak to your needs and your heart.  I will always praise God for the East Highland church, and the difference it made in my life.  May the family find comfort in the Hands of the Lord.

Pastor Dan will always be special to me.  When our granddaughter died a few years ago and I put the prayer request on the eprayer list, he called me personally and prayed with me.  God bless the family and all who love him.  Sharon Brown, proud member of the East Highland eprayer team, Macon, Georgia

It was an honor to help care for Mr. Gates. I am praying for your family as you reflect on his life. Much love,

Pat and family, I am so sorry for your tremendous loss. Dan will be missed so very much. His influence has been felt across the world. People that have never spoken to him directly feel that they've lost a friend, so how much more those who met him and were so blessed to know him. I'll never forget how he tried so hard to help Billy. Over the years, he has ministered to my family many times. He was a wonderful Pastor, Teacher and friend.
May God comfort your hearts, as only He can. To quote Dan, "God is good; all the time!"

Our sympathy to the family.  A great man has gome home to be with Jesus.

Dear Pat and family,  He will always be "Danny" to me. What a great student and helper he was for me at Milton High School as director of the Glee Club.  He emialed me such glowing words about all of you.  My heart is so sad for your loss and the great loss to the Christian community.  Please know that I am praying for each of you.  Pat, I KNOW what it feels like to bury one's life partner.  My love, Barbara Dean

Dan Gates was a great Patriot.  I know that he invested a lot of time and energy into the 2009 Memorial Day service, which he organized, at Parkhill Cemetery.  It was so very moving and a great success.  I shall always remember him for this.  It was a pleasure to know him as a Compatriot in the SAR. He will truly be missed.

Words cannot begin to express our sorrow at your loss.  Dan was a wonderful man, who is thought of often by those of us who he pastored over the years.  It always makes us smile to remember him, Pat, and the boys as they were growing up when he pastored in Chauncey and at Benevolence.  What a wonderful sweet, fun spirit he had!  Our loss is truly Heaven's gain!  I sure did enjoy playing and singing with him and for him.  I know he is singing with the Angels as he has never sang before!
You are in our thoughts and prayers...

You will never know how much Dan meant to us! Even though we were miles apart,we called Dan if we ever had a need asking him to pray for us and with us.  We often teased him that he had a "direct line to our Father in Heaven."
We love each of you and pray for your entire family during this time of sorrow!

I know that Pastor Gates is with the Lord now and He is healed and is alive forever more....May God comfort the family in this hard time. God Bless you all.....
Elaine Thompson

OBITUARIO

Rev. Dan V. Gates

6 junio, 1948 – 2 noviembre, 2010

Striffler-Hamby Mortuary - Columbus

Muestre su apoyo

Comparta Un Recuerdo

Comparta
Un Obituario

Obtenga actualizaciones

Servicios