Glen Earl Bates Jr.

A Memorial service for Glen Earl Bates Jr. will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 11:00AM at the First Presbyterian Church of Big Flats, 95 Main St., Big Flats, NY, 14814. A reception and light luncheon will follow in the church hall. Flowers will be provided by the family. Those wishing to do so may make a memorial donation in Glen’s name to the First Presbyterian Church, PO Box 454, 95 Main St., Big Flats, NY 14814 or Big Flats Historical Society Museum, PO Box 232, 258 Hibbard Rd., Big Flats, NY 14814.

Born November 25, 1916 passed away peacefully on December 25, 2014 at the age of 98.

Glen, a devoted husband and loving father, was born and lived all of his life in the town of Big Flats. After graduating from Big Flats Union School in 1935 he attended Clarkson University and Tri-State University graduating with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1938. Glen worked for American LaFrance-Foamite Corp from 1939 till retirement in 1982. During that period, he was project manager on many new fire truck designs including the largest airport crash truck built in the 1970s. He very much loved Big Flats and the surrounding country side where he enjoyed photography, hunting, fishing and canoeing the Chemung River late into his 80s. He was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church of Big Flats where he served as deacon, trustee and elder. He was a charter member of the Big Flats Rotary Club and held many offices over the years and was a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International award. He believed in a strong involvement in town activities and was a life time member of the fire department, member of the Board of Commissioners, Planning and Zoning Boards, director of the Big Flats Rural Home Cemetery Association, Secretary of the Big Flats School Board and was a former Boy Scout Commissioner of Big Flats Troop 42. He was the recipient of the Big Flats Lions Club Man of the Year Award in 1996, as well as the Town of Big Flats Citizen of the Year in 2009. Loving the town and its history, he was instrumental in the promotion of the Big Flats Historical Society Museum and served many years as its curator.

Glen now joins his loving wife Jean of 62 years who passed away in 2004. He is survived by daughter Sandra (Richard) Mytych of Penn Yan, NY; son Glen E Bates III (Sharon) of Kennebunk Beach, ME; he left five grandchildren, Peter Mytych of Stittville, NY, Kristin (Eric) Hahn of San Diego, CA , Gregory (Jessica) Mytych of Spencerport, NY, Hilary Bates of Morris Plains, NJ, and Megan Bates of New York City ; as well as nine great-grandchildren, Tyler and Kaitlyn Mytych of Stittville, NY, Austin, Andrew, and Sylvia Jean Hahn of San Diego, CA, and Katherine, Nathan, Anna, and William Mytych of Spencerport,NY.

Friends and family may sign the guestbook at www.townsendwoodfuneralchapel.com