Eloise Bates

Martha Eloise Smith Bates, 90, of Alston Brook Nursing Center, and formerly of Richmond, VA, died Monday, December 13, 2010, at the nursing center. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, December 18 at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 8076 Quaker Lane, Bon Air, VA 23235. Mrs. Bates was born January 13, 1920, in Dekalb County, Ga., to Howard E. Smith and Margaret Laura McAfee Smith. She retired as a procurement analyst with the Federal Government-DGSC in Richmond, VA. Her son, John Dana Bates, and her brother, Howard Eugene Smith, preceded her in death. Surviving are her sons, Bill Bates and wife, Beth Bunce, of Lexington, NC, and Jay Christopher Bates and wife, Ruth Ann, of Chester, VA; her daughter-in-law, Diann Bates of Richmond, VA; her grandchildren, Patrick Eugene Bates, and Brian Christopher Bates, both of Richmond, VA, Taylor Christine Bates of Conyers, GA., Grayson Bates and Taylor Dare Bates, both of Lexington, NC, and John Christopher Brooke Bates of Richmond, VA; and her sister in law, Jean Smith of New Hartford, NY. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Positive Wellness Alliance, PO Box 703, Lexington NC 27292 or to the National AIDS Fund, 1424 K Street, N.W., 2nd Floor, Washington DC 20005.