James "Jim" B. Bates
December 12, 1947 — March 12, 2018
Jim Bates, 70, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Monday, March 12, 2018, of a brief illness at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids. The family will greet friends from 4 – 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 15, 2018, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Marion. Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 16, 2018, at First Presbyterian Church, Marion, conducted by Reverend Beth Hilkerbaumer. The family will also greet friends one hour prior to service at the church. Graveside services will take place at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Garden of Memories Cemetery, Waterloo.
Jim was born December 12, 1947, to Burdette and Violet Bates in Cedar Falls. He grew up in Waterloo, graduated from East High and the University of Northern Iowa. Jim moved to Cedar Rapids in 1971, and soon afterward completed his Master’s degree from Northeast Missouri State (Truman State). He was an English teacher and coached football and wrestling at Marion High School from 1971 until he retired in 2008. In the early 1980’s, he became a facilitator for the Iowa Writing Project.
He is survived by his wife, Sue of Cedar Rapids; son, Jonathan of Minneapolis, Minnesota; son, Shawn (Tracy) and grandsons, Taylor, Braeden, and Tristan, all of Waconia, Minnesota; sisters, Judy (Jerry) Anders of Waterloo and Joyce Bates of Middleton, Wisconsin.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Jim’s memory may be directed to First Presbyterian Church, Marion.
Jim was born December 12, 1947, to Burdette and Violet Bates in Cedar Falls. He grew up in Waterloo, graduated from East High and the University of Northern Iowa. Jim moved to Cedar Rapids in 1971, and soon afterward completed his Master’s degree from Northeast Missouri State (Truman State). He was an English teacher and coached football and wrestling at Marion High School from 1971 until he retired in 2008. In the early 1980’s, he became a facilitator for the Iowa Writing Project.
He is survived by his wife, Sue of Cedar Rapids; son, Jonathan of Minneapolis, Minnesota; son, Shawn (Tracy) and grandsons, Taylor, Braeden, and Tristan, all of Waconia, Minnesota; sisters, Judy (Jerry) Anders of Waterloo and Joyce Bates of Middleton, Wisconsin.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Jim’s memory may be directed to First Presbyterian Church, Marion.
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