Darrell Irdie Bates, 100, of Fort Smith, Arkansas passed away on January 9, 2021 in a local nursing home. He was born on November 12, 1920 in Little Rock, AR to William Irdie and Mae Belle (Bumpass) Bates. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a turret gunner on a B24 bomber in Europe during World War II and then joined the Air Force and served during the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. Following his service in the military he worked for a mapping service during the construction of the Alaskan pipeline.
Graveside services with military honors are 10:00 AM, Thursday, January 14, 2021 at the U.S. National Cemetery under the direction of Ocker-Putman Funeral Home of Fort Smith, AR.
Mr. Bates may be viewed from 4-7PM on Wednesday, January 13th at the funeral home.
He is survived by his two sons, Dexter Bates and his wife Rita of Fort Smith and Eric Bates of Pueblo, CO; five grandchildren, James Bates of Fort Smith, Suzanne (William) Neal of Hackett, AR, Sharon (Eugene) Kersh of Fort Smith, Theresa (Chuck) Slagle of Yorktown, VA and Elizabeth Bates of Brooklyn, NY; nine great grandchildren, Morgan, Ann Marie, Sebastian, Hudson, Genevieve, Christine, Charlie, Dexter and Tomas and two great great grandchildren, Jevin and M.J.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.