Pastor Thomas A. Bates

Pastor Thomas A. Bates, age 79, of Delta, passed away at his home Wednesday, December 1, 2021.  He was born in Toledo on August 31, 1942.  After graduating from Anthony Wayne High School, he attended Great Lakes Christian College where he was ordained as a Pastor.  He married Connie Price on June 19, 1964 and together have shared 57 loving years together.  Throughout his life, Tom served as Pastor at several local churches but most recently at Neapolis Church of Christ and Fulton Union Christian Church in Delta, where he retired.  Along with pastoring, he was a State Highway Patrolman and later served as a Deputy with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.  Tom worked for the Village of Swanton as Police Chief for several years.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Arlie Bates and Lila (Oakes) Bates and granddaughter, Payton Lyn Bates in 2006.  Tom is survived by his loving wife, Connie; sons, Clint Bates of Delta and Sean (Amy) Bates of Liberty Center; daughter, Dawn (Charles) Welton of Navarre, FL; grandchildren, Hayden D. Bates, Maycie H.  Bates, Scott T. Welton and Lila J. Welton; along with many special and loving cousins. Friends and family will be received from 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM on Monday, December 6, 2021, at Barnes Funeral Chapel, 5825 St. Hwy. 109 in Delta.  A funeral service honoring Tom’s life will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, at Fulton Union Christian Church, 5232 Co Rd HJ, Delta, Ohio 43515.  Alan Weese will be officiating.  Interment will follow at Fulton Union Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider Fulton Union Christian Church or your local church in his memory. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.barnesfuneralchapel.com.