Thomas M. Bates

Thomas M. "Tom" Bates       Thomas Morrow Bates, age 77 of Hauswurz, Germany, formerly of Gatesville, Texas, passed away Thursday, July 21, 2016 at his residence. Graveside services, with military honors, and interment will be held at Hauswurz Cemetery in Hauswurz, Germany at 3:00pm Thursday, July 28, 2016. A visitation will be held at 5 pm at Gasthof Sieberzmühle near Hauswurz.      Mr. Bates was born on May 28, 1939 in Little Rock, Arkansas to the late Emmett Benjamin Bates and Joy Morrow Bates. He attended schools in Little Rock and graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1957. In 1957, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1973.  Tom owned and operated the Western Auto Store in Gatesville for a short time before working for Tank Automotive Command (TACOM). He was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas,Warren, Michigan, Korea,  multiple places in Germany, and retired in December 1998 from TACOM. Tom was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Disabled American Veterans and First Baptist Church of Gatesville where he was active in adult choir, served as a deacon and was involved with the Royal Ambassador program. On November, 14, 1988, Tom married Heidi Lena Margret Anneliese Otte in Belton, Texas.      Tom was preceded in death by his parents.      Survivors include his loving wife of 27 years, Heidi Bates of Hauswurz, Germany; his children, Dondi Bates Allison and husband Keith of Gatesville; Thomas Bradley “Brad” Bates and wife Jayme of Georgetown, Texas and Tiffani Lynn Bates of Temple, Texas; grandchildren, Ryan Allison, Katie Allison, Corbin Bates, Annie Bates, Lia Clare Bates, Christian Santulan, Bradey Santulan and Addison Santulan; and a sister, Mary Ann Greenwood and husband Reed of Fayetteville, Arkansas.