Oren Leroy Bates

Oren Bates was born Oren Leroy Bates on August 31, 1938, in Altona, MO to Karl Bates and Ethel Gibb. After graduating high school, Oren joined the United States Marine Corps and served our country from 1956 to 1959. Oren then continued his education at Northwest Missouri State University where he met his future wife, Bernice Northup. Oren and Bernice were married on June 7, 1964. They celebrated 59.2 years of marriage. Oren and Bernice loved to camp and enjoyed the outdoors spending many hours on the lake and water skiing with their family. Oren was a business teacher at Ruskin High School, retiring in the spring of 1993. He did not miss a beat and began a new career with the City of Peculiar as an Inspector. Throughout the years, Oren served in various capacities with the City of Peculiar. He volunteered for many years with the Peculiar Fire Department. When the city transitioned into a career fire department, Oren was the first elected Fire Chief. He turned this opportunity down for personal reasons, but that took nothing away from the honor it was to be chosen by his community. Oren was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church of Peculiar. Over the years, he served the church in numerous roles such as a Sunday School Teacher and even as the Church Treasurer for 25 years. Oren never met a stranger and would always talk someone up. He especially enjoyed his “lunch bunch” through the years, cherishing his beloved friends Albert, Harry, Alan, and Nick just to name a few.

Oren was preceded in death by his parents, Karl and Ethel Bates, his wife Bernice, and daughter Theresa. Here to cherish his memory are his two children, Travis Bates and his wife Esther and Troy Bates and his wife Sharla; four grandchildren, Shelby Soll and her husband Christian, Tayler B. Bates, Theresa Bates, and Ely Bates; and one great-grandchild, Isaac Shepherd Soll.

Visitation will be held 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.  Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at First Baptist Church Peculiar, Peculiar, Missouri. 

Funeral Service will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, December 5, 2024 at First Baptist Church Peculiar, Peculiar, Missouri with interment at Belton Cemetery, Belton, Missouri. 

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Harbor Hospice and send in care to Dickey Funeral Home P.O. Box 432, Harrisonville, Missouri 64701.