Reeta Bates

Thursday, December 28, 2006 “Mama Reeta” Bates age 88 of the Fairmount Community, died Thursday morning at her residence following several weeks of declining health. Mrs. Bates was born in Pickens County, Ga. on August 8th. 1918 daughter of the late Arthur and Hailey Green Roper. She was a lifelong resident of the Fairmount Community, was a Member of the Freedom Baptist Church and was retired from the Lacey Mills in Fairmount. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by two brothers Pete and Claude Roper. Survivors include her husband to whom she was married for 59 years, just celebrating their anniversary on Dec. 24th, William “Red” Bates of Fairmount, one son; Larry McEver of Calhoun, one daughter; Linda Whittenburg and her husband Lamar of Calhoun, four grandchildren; LarriAnn Dixon, Hoyt,Lynn and Jennifer Whittenburg, and four great-grandchildren; Brittany and Brooke Dixon, Grace and Will Whittenburg. Funeral services will be conducted at 4:00 P.M. Friday December 29th. from the Chapel of the Thomas Funeral Home with Rev. Jether Cochran officiating. Interment will follow in the Pleasant Grove/Ryo Cemetery in Fairmount. Pallbearers serving include Lamar and Hoyt Whittenburg, Scott Parmiter, Larry Dixon, Eric Worley and Flipper McDaniel and these men are asked to meet at the Thomas Funeral Home at 3:45 P.M. Friday. Mable Harris, Mary Wilson and Iris Parker and Britney Miller will have charge of the music. The family will receive friends at the Thomas Funeral Home from 5:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. on Thursday evening. You may sign the online register book or express private condolences at WWW.thomasfuneralhomecalhoun.com Thomas Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements for “Mama Reeta” Bates.