Donald Bates

Donald E. Bates, age 82, of Stone Creek died Thursday, July 23, 2015 in Union Hospital at Dover following a brief period of declining health.

A son of the late Ernest and Alice (Marker) Bates, Don was born at Akron, Ohio on December 5, 1932.

He attended school at Port Washington and on December 23, 1977, married the former Juanita Wyler. For more than 45 years, Don was an independent owner/operator truck driver and traveled to nearly every state in the Continental U.S.

His lifelong passion for cars led him to spend much of his free time building, restoring and customizing classic automobiles. Don was a long-time member of the Kustom Kemps Car Club and in his younger years, he enjoyed drag racing and stock car racing as well as riding motorcycles, having made six trips on his bike to Sturgis for the annual motorcycle rally.

In addition to building cars for others, Don also enjoyed working on and showing his own cars. Often traveling to car shows throughout Ohio and surrounding states, his labor of love did not go unnoticed as he has accumulated many trophies for his efforts through the years. He enjoyed helping others who were in need and in his retirement loved sitting on his porch swing counting cars and waving to those who passed by his home.

In addition to his wife of 37 years, Don will be missed by his daughter, Kay (Mark) Erwin; his grandchildren, Shanon (Denise) Erwin, Jennifer (Keith) Rollings; his great-grandchildren, Brandon (Andrea) Erwin, Nova and Paige Erwin; and his great-great-grandchildren, Blakely and Ashlyn Erwin all of South Carolina.

Completing the family are his sister, Donna (Bob) Cooper of Akron; his sisters-in-law, Thelma Miller and Peggy Wyler; nieces Bonnie Johnson, and Arlene (Howard) Cunard; his nephews, Edward Bates, Jr., Edward Bates, III, and Bob (Roxanne) Smyth as well as numerous close, longtime friends.

In addition to his parents, Don was preceded in death by a brother, Edward T. Bates, Sr.

The family will greet guests on Sunday, July 26, 2015 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia. A service celebrating Don’s life will be led by Rev. Bill Haggis on Monday at 2:30 PM in the Zion Lutheran Church at Stone Creek. Burial will follow in the Stone Creek Cemetery. Following services, a meal and fellowship will be shared in the church social hall.

Contributions in Don’s memory may be directed to Zion Lutheran Church PO Box 118, Stone Creek, Ohio 43840 or by performing acts of kindness to those in need.