Robert Warren Bates' Obituary
Robert Warren Bates passed away Thursday, November 20, 2025, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He was 72 years old.
Born November 23, 1952, in Flagstaff, Arizona, Bob was the son of Robert Wayne and Marjorie Ruth (Maloney) Bates. As the son of a Forest Service ranger, he grew up in several small towns in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. He attended high school in Round Valley, Arizona, where he ran track and played football before his family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. He graduated from Del Norte High School with the Class of 1972.
Bob continued his education at the University of New Mexico, where he earned a degree in University Studies with a focus on history classes-a subject he loved deeply. Throughout his life, he could tell you almost anything you wanted to know about history and football statistics, combining his passions for learning and sports.
A man of great endurance and physical toughness, Bob was a dedicated athlete who ran 54 marathons and over 100 half marathons. He was an avid cyclist and a devoted fan of the San Francisco 49ers.
Bob served his country with distinction in the U.S. Navy, traveling the world to places including Spain, Australia, and Kosovo, where he served as a Seabee. He was part of the inaugural crew of the U.S.S. Missouri when it served as a showboat, visiting major ports around the globe. He worked as a finance disbursement clerk both while enlisted and as a civilian. Of all the places his service took him, his favorite was Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
Those who knew Bob remember him as physically tough, very loyal, and energetic, with a very good dry sense of humor. He loved to sing even if it wasn't his forte, and he was an avid reader of history books, thrillers, and westerns. He enjoyed watching classic 1960s television shows including Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and The Rifleman.
Bob was a faithful member of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Millington, Tennessee, where he was actively involved in numerous clubs and church activities.
He is survived by his siblings, Alan Bates and wife Heather, Ellen Polyard and husband Irvin; nephew Logan Bates; and nieces Dana Watts, Marian Polyard, and Jillian LaRue.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents.
A service to honor Bob's life will be held at Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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