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Alan Bates Obituary
Of Fredericksburg, MD, died with his wife, Terra Klugh Bates on Friday, February 15, 2002, in Birmingham, AL. Alan was Production Manager for Phoenix Productions of Frederick, MD, a theater management company for national tours of Broadway musicals. Before moving to Maryland, Alan was the Stage Manager for the historic Alabama Theater in Birmingham, where he and Terra met, worked together and were later married. Alan is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth Gabrielle Bates, 11 and Virginia Madeline Bates, 9; his parents, Philip and Joan Bates of Marietta, GA; his brothers, Robert Bates of Woodstock, GA and Kevin Bates of Atlanta, GA; and his grandparents, Maurine D. Bates of Shelby, AL and Bruce and Geneva Stephens of Dothan, AL. The family will receive friends today at 1 p.m. at ROSWELL FUNERAL HOME, 950 Mansell Rd., Roswell, GA 770-993-4811, where a memorial service will be held today at 2 p.m. Because of the significance of the Alabama Theater in their lives, the "Alan and Terra Memorial Fund" has been established to assist in the theater's preservation. Memorial contributions may be sent to The Alabama Theater, Alan & Terra Memorial Fund, 1817 Third Ave. North, Birmingham, AL 35203.
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Memories and Condolences
for Alan Bates
1 Entry
David McCarty
March 12, 2002
The thing I keep reading over and over is how much Alan and Terra loved the Alabama Theatre. People that say that, and that have worked there, have something in common that will never go away. That wonderful old building ties people together in a way I've never seen before or since.
I met Alan in 1995. I had just moved back to Birmingham because my grandfather was dying; he would die the day before I started working at the Alabama. I was a wreck.
Alan was cool, older than me; his tiny little office was decorated with great posters from artists that had played the Alabama: Lyle Lovett, the Connells, maybe Tori Amos? Willie Nelson for sure. You tend to forget. He'd gotten to meet a lot of them working as stage manager, and I thought that was just the greatest thing in the world.
On his desk were elaborately framed pictures of his daughters. I used to take out his garbage--that was what I did at the Alabama. And vacuum a little bit.
Alan was the only guy in the world that could wear black jeans--which he always seemed to do back then--and be cool. Cool in that Michael Penn "No Myth" black jeans cool way.
That's really the highest thing I can say about somebody. He loved the Alabama, he loved his daughters, he loved Terra, and he was black-jean cool.
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