John Bates, 92 of Montezuma passed away Saturday afternoon, September 12, 2020 at the Montezuma Specialty Care. Funeral services will begin at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at the Community Hope Church in Montezuma. Burial will be held in the Jackson Township Cemetery in Montezuma. Visitation will begin after 12 p.m. Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at the Holland-Coble Funeral Home with the family present from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Montezuma Fire Department or the Montezuma United Methodist Church. Holland-Coble Funeral Home of Montezuma is in charge of arrangements.

John Cleo Bates, son of Benjamin Cecil and Bessie (Lester) Bates, was born on September 4, 1928, in Gibson. He attended country schools around the Gibson and Deep River area before moving to Montezuma to live with his sister Margaret and Raymond Tarvin. He graduated from Montezuma High School in 1947. On May 9, 1953, John was united in marriage to Joetta Watts at the Montezuma Christian Church Parsonage. To this union two children were born, Joni and Curtis.

John had a dedicated work ethic. He was a Sgt. First Class in the Army National Guard, Red Bull Calvary Battery D 113th Armored Division from 1948-1968, where he won soldier of the year. He worked at Winegarden Hardware in Deep River, Fulton Furniture and the Sale Barn in Montezuma, Donaldson's in Grinnell, FS in Brooklyn, Heartland Co-op in Malcom, as well as on the Deep River farm where he and Joetta worked and lived for over 50 years before moving to Montezuma in 2011. John enjoyed farming, mowing, coffee time, westerns, watching the Hawkeyes and Kansas City Chiefs, as well as following his children and grandchildren through their activities at Montezuma High School.

John was a set of strong hands to tighten bolts, a wearer of bib overalls and baseball caps, a lap for his grandchildren, an infielder in front yard softball games, a taster of Joetta's cooking, and a fixture of every family dinner. John was a man of great strength and resilience, leaving a legacy of courage his family is very proud of.

His memory will be cherished by his wife of nearly 68 years Joetta of Montezuma; his daughter, Joni Doll of Nixa, MO and friend, Denny of Urbandale; his son Curtis (Dotty) Bates of Deep River; his four grandchildren, Camie (James) Coffer of Ozark, MO, Dustin (Erienne) Doll of Montezuma, Taren (Austin) Young of Montezuma, and Derek (Simone) Bates of Deep River; his eight great-grandchildren, Charley, Beau, Jaxon, Gracie, Ty, Carter, Lincoln, Jayden, and Baby Bates on the way; his brothers Donald (Elaine) Bates of Keswick, Paul (the late Linda) Bates of What Cheer, and Merle (the late Jean) Bates of Ft. Worth, TX; his sisters-in-law Phyllis (the late Edwin) Mann of Carlisle and Jacque (the late Dennis Watts) Johnson of Montezuma; his brother-in-law Lyle Watts of Des Moines, as well as many nieces, nephews, and friends.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Cecil and Bessie Bates; his brothers Eugene, Ronald (Evelyn), Gerald (Norma Jean, Eulalia), Ned (Jan), and Tom (Helen); his sisters Agnes (Joe) Hourihan, Margaret (Raymond) Tarvin, Dorothy Bates, Marlene Bates, Verla (Marvin) Tish, and Charlene Bates; brother-in-law Keith (Bernice) Watts.