Mary Bates

Funeral services will be held for Mary Ellen Rolison Bates, 90, of Custer City, at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the First Christian Church in Custer City.

Mrs. Bates died Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016, at Corn Heritage Village in Weatherford.

She was born Dec. 17, 1925, to William and Rhoada May (Sessions)Rolison in Custer City.

Raised in the Custer area, she attended Red Rock Country School and Custer City School, before graduating from Clinton High School in 1943. She continued her education at the Chickasha School for Women, graduating with a bookkeeping degree.  

Bates accepted a job with Southwestern Oklahoma State College (now Southwestern Oklahoma State University) in Weatherford. She became their main bookkeeper and retired after 23 years.

 In 1975 she married Eldon Bates at Weatherford, and they farmed west of Custer City until his death.

Bates was a member of the Custer City First Christian Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and two sisters, Kathryn Province and Beatrice Thomas.

Survivors include two sisters, Rose Patocka and husband Willard of Enid, and Billie Lax and husband Leon, Clinton; her extended family, Bob and Becky Weathers, Custer City, and their son, Justin, and his son, Nicholas, of Weatherford; plus numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.   

Services will be officiated by Doyle Kinney. Interment will follow at Custer City Masonic Cemetery under the direction of Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home.