Verne Bates

Verne Bates, age 87, of Grants Pass, died March 7, 2017 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

Verne was born June 4, 1929 in Priest River, Idaho, to Albert & Dorothea (Sutton) Bates. He graduated from Priest River High School “Home of the Spartans” and then worked as a logger for Harris Pine Mill in Priest River.

On June 15, 1946 in Newport, Washington he married Anna Marie Wiley residing in Priest River Idaho.

In 1950 Verne accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and later joined the Seventh-day Adventist faith, sharing principles from scripture, and built his life work following those same principles.

In the early 1960s he moved to Loma Linda, California where he started his career in custom cabinets at Loma Linda University.

In 1965 he moved from Loma Linda to Grants Pass. For ten years, he worked for Colonial Decorators and then started Verne’s Cabinet & Formica Shop retiring in 1997.

In 1973 they purchased Echo Cove Orchard, in Hugo Oregon where they made their home. Spending everyday with his trees, the soil, and his adoring dogs providing quality fruit to their community Josephine County. He loved all, listened to experiences and shared with all. It was while living in Hugo he began referring to himself as a “Huguenot.”

Verne loved to sing taking every opportunity to share his gift, including church services, weddings, and funerals. He also loved story telling real life stories that had meaning, often telling stories of his own life and Bible stories.

Survivors include five daughters, Cheryl Bailey of Grants Pass, Oregon, Edrie Buchler of Menifee, California, Trudie Balbach of Sacramento, California, Merribeth Bates and Shelley Haskell both of Grants Pass, Oregon; ten grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be at 12 Noon, Sunday, March 12, 2017 at Hull & Hull Funeral Directors. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park.