David R. Bates

Memorial service for David R. Bates, 79, Ormond Beach, who passed away Friday, November 3, 2006, will be 11 a.m. Friday at Ormond Beach Union Church. Mr. Bates was born in Pittsfield, Mass., to Myron and Hazel Bates. He graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1944. A U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, he served on the U.S.S. Reid which was selected to represent high speed transports on Hudson River Navy Day in 1945. This fleet was reviewed by President Harry Truman. He later attended Centre College in Danville, Ky. Employed with G.E. for 39 years, he served as manager of support group for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center on the Apollo Program and retired as a buyer at the Daytona Beach plant. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge (Pittsfield/Crescent) in Pittsfield, Mass., member and past president of the Ormond Beach Union Church, and past chairman of the Berkshirites of Massachusetts (Daytona Beach). He also served on the City of Ormond Beach Code Enforcement Board for 10 years and was a member of the Destroyer Escort Sailors Association. Friends may send the family a condolence online at www.Haigh-Black.com. In lieu of flowers, his family prefers memorial donations to either Ormond Beach Union Church, 56 N. Beach Street, Ormond Beach,FL 32174 or Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, 3900 Woodbriar Trail, Port Orange,FL 32129. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Miriam; three daughters, Pam Hager, Micanopy, Fla., Sandy Bryant, Ormond Beach, and Suzanne Kibler, Ormond Beach; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Arrangements are under the direction of Haigh-Black Funeral Home & Cremation Service.