Donald Jefferson Cates

Donald J. Cates, 96, a resident of Greensboro died Thursday December 23, 2010 at Camden Place. He was born in early September, 1914 in Hillsborough, NC, the eldest of six children in the family. His father and mother were Thomas J. Cates and Lizzie J. Bobbitt of Hillsborough, NC, both deceased. Deceased members of the children are Victor L. and Valarie E. Cates of Greensboro and TJ Cates of Los Angeles, CA.

Donald moved about with the family as they changed resident cities among Goldsboro, Winston-Salem, Salisbury and Greensboro; where he spent the major part of his growing up period. He left Greensboro Senior High School in the early 1930’s to go to work and help out during the difficult economic times. Although he valued education throughout his life, going to class was never his favored way to spend time. He preferred time in the out of doors and athletic activities; particularly any that matched individuals in competitive sports. Later in his life he sought knowledgeable sources and was willing to spend countless hours studying and practicing how to improve his chance of successfully meeting the next competitive challenge.

He married Hope Burchel in 1937 in a surprise elopement to Virginia and was devoted to her for almost 60 years, until Hope preceded him in death in 1996. They were attracted to Los Angeles, CA, the golden state at least in the 30’s and so they moved there in 1940 and lived there until returning to Greensboro in 1980. California was the right state for him because out of doors was so accessible in the form of shore, mountain and desert. He went to aircraft mechanic’s school and spent most of his time in California engaged in activities related to the aviation industry. During much of this time the company he worked for was refitting excess airplanes from World War II and selling them to company executives as company planes in the wildly expanding economy that followed the war. He co-piloted his company’s plane all over the United States and too many of the countries of the Americas.

During his sabbatical from Greensboro he hunted with a bow and arrow in the mountains, skied and hiked and camped there in deep snow, fished for trout in icy streams in Wyoming and played tennis and golf on the many public courses around Los Angeles. He also spent countless hours working at photography; he set himself the unreachable goal, to do it “like Ansel”.

With understandable reservation, he and Hope returned to Greensboro in 1980 and made their new life there. Don redoubled his efforts in tennis, golf and photography to close the gap between hope and reality opened by his advancing years. His deteriorating physical conditioning probably caused him to accept the inevitability of reality, but he never publicly gave up the hope.

Donald is survived by two brothers, David in Raleigh, NC and Larry in Chattanooga, TN; by his nieces, Cindy Ethridge of Atlanta, GA, and Carole Harrington of High Point, NC; by his sister-in-law, Helen and Nephew Scot and nieces Sherie and Terie of Los Angeles, CA; by his nephew Rick Cates and niece Cheryl of Rochester Hills, MI and by his nephews Richard (his principal caregiver during his last years), Victor and Donald Cates and his niece Diana Zimmerman of Greensboro, NC.

He was a member of Guilford Baptist Church. He loved his Sunday School Class, “The Lamp Lighters”.

There will be a Memorial Service at 11:00 am Thursday, December 30, 2010 at Guilford Memorial Baptist Church, 5904 W. Market St., Greensboro, NC 27409 conducted by the Reverend Alex Velarde. Interment will be in Guilford Memorial Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Guilford Baptist Church missions which he supported.

Hanes-Lineberry Funeral Home, Sedgefield Chapel 6000 High Point Rd. Greensboro, NC 27407 is serving the Cates family. Online condolences can be made at haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com