Dr. George Arthur Gates

On February 8, 2025, George Arthur Gates, M.D., a devoted husband, father, and renowned otolaryngologist, passed away peacefully after a full life spent in service to his Christian faith, his family and his fellow man.

George was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 25, 1935. He and his siblings grew up in Welch, West Virginia. As a teenager he learned to fly the airplane his father, a country doctor, used to reach patients in the mountains of West Virginia. As a teen, he flew that plane by himself to Florida from West Virginia. His father’s parting advice was to “keep the ocean on your left!” as he flew down the eastern seaboard. He helped his father to bring television to Welch residents by carrying cable up the mountain to connect people. He matriculated to the University of Michigan where he earned his undergraduate degree, his Doctor of Medicine, and ultimately completed his residency program there in otorhinolaryngology. He cherished his time spent in Ann Arbor as a Wolverine. As a new physician, he served in the United States Naval Reserve at a naval hospital in Minneapolis. In 1971 he joined the faculty at the newly established medical school, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, as a professor and the head of the otorhinolaryngology residency program.

While teaching at the medical school and after the loss of his first wife JoAnn, George met Mary Brient Shaeffer of Fort Worth through mutual friends. In 1972 they married and began to raise their “Brady bunch” blended family of six kids in San Antonio. George’s residents fondly remember the family’s annual BBQs at their home where they welcomed the new ENT residents to the program every July. George took pride in his selection of his ENT residents, holding them to his exacting standards during their training with him and celebrating their successes as they matured into skilled surgeons and clinicians.

In addition to teaching George was a noted researcher, having had a landmark research paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1987 for his work in treating chronic ear infections in young children. In 1988 following his tenure at UTHSCSA he took a position on faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. In June of 1993, he was recruited to be the inaugural Director of the Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington.

George was passionate about medicine, especially medicine and surgery involving the ear. By the time of his retirement in June 2004, he had contributed to the education of thousands of physicians, had lectured and performed surgery around the world, and had helped pioneer new surgical techniques with neurosurgeons to remove previously inoperable brain tumors from behind the ear. One of his most notable contributions was his pioneering work in cochlear implants, helping to restore hearing to countless individuals.

George served as president of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology in 1987-88 and president of the Society of University Otolaryngologists in 1990. He was the author of more than 100 scientific publications and served on the editorial boards of three professional journals.

He ended his formal medical career with the Bloedel Center in June 2004, but not his mission to help people. In his retirement, he helped develop a new medical device to better diagnose ear infections in children.

George was dedicated to his career but equally devoted to his family and his life outside of work. He loved to play the piano, sing, and participate in musical productions. He was a member of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society at the University of Michigan. After his training at the University of Michigan, George continued to perform various Gilbert and Sullivan productions as well as operatic pieces in San Antonio and was a long-time member of the choir at the churches that he attended. He was a golfer, a sailor, and fine woodworker, making pieces of furniture for the homes in which he lived.

George and Mary remained married until her passing in 2021. They poured much love into the children they raised together such that family members abandoned the term “step” when referring to each other given the close relationship and bond that they had formed over the years. He was very proud of the family that he and Mary raised in San Antonio, and despite his busy professional schedule, he enjoyed family time spent on camping trips, kids’ sporting events, and lunches at Luby’s after church on Sundays.

In 2022, George and Charlotte Hains were married at First Presbyterian Church in front of friends and family. They spent the last years of George’s life together enjoying visits from each of their families. They were wonderful companions with shared interests, enjoying trips to the San Antonio Botanical Center and singing with the “the Friday Singers” at area independent and assisted living facilities.

George is survived by his loving wife Charlotte Hains-Gates, his children Margaret Harmon (widow of David) of Abilene, Texas , Drucilla Price (Brian) of Weatherford, Texas, Andrew Gates (Stacey) of Glendora, California, Tylden Shaeffer (Stephanie Bowen) of San Antonio, Texas, and Stacey Zottneck (Scott) of Milton, Georgia, and his eight grandchildren, Elijah Price, Emily Gates and Jacob Gates, Zachary Shaeffer (Taylor) and Mary Hannah Shaeffer, Arielle Lane (David), William Zottneck and Benjamin Zotteck, his younger sisters Eileen Johns and Donna Gates, and stepchildren through Charlotte, Tiffany Daniels, Shannon Pappas and Matthew Pappas. He is predeceased by his parents Edmund O. Gates and Annie A. Gunner Gates, his brother Robert Gates and his son Matthew Gates, and his wives JoAnn Gates and Mary B. Gates.

The family wishes to give special thanks to all the staff at the Village of the Incarnate Word, the doctors who treated George these past years, especially Dr. Lichtenstein, as well as the staff and caregivers at Franklin Park Alamo Heights assisted living and memory care units and Embrace Hospice. So many people touched the lives of both George, Charlotte, and their family members. We are eternally grateful for his presence in our lives and will miss him dearly.

A visitation for George will be held Sunday, March 2, 2025 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Porter Loring Mortuary, 1101 McCullough Ave., San Antonio, Texas 78212.Funeral Services will be held on Monday, March 3, 2025, at 2 pm CST in the main sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church, 404 N Alamo St., San Antonio, Texas 78205, followed by a reception at the Church. The service will also be live streamed by First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio, Texas.