Baxter Franklin Bates, Jr.

Baxter Franklin Bates, Jr., age 73, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 8, 2018 at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.  A graveside service will be held at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at Lexington City Cemetery with the Rev. Clyde Akers officiating.   The family will receive friends at 1:00 pm Tuesday at Davidson Funeral Home in Lexington.  Baxter was born in Davidson County on June 28, 1944 to Baxter Franklin Bates, Sr. and Emma Lee Hege Bates.  He was a retired mechanic and was of the Baptist faith.  He was preceded in death by his parents.  Surviving is his loving wife of the home, Nanci Groh Bates; three sons; Baxter “Rocky” Bates and Bobby Dean Bates of Florida and Brian Shane Bates of Lexington, and a daughter, Royalyn Thomas (F. Kennedy) of High Point; 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.