BATES, Gordon William, age 84, a lifelong resident of Abington, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his loving family on September 27, 2018. Gordon is survived by his wife Carolyn (Wentworth) Bates, with whom he shared 54 wonderful years of marriage; his daughter Julie Halaby, her husband Jon, and their children Brooke and Benjamin, of Cohasset; sister-in-law June Jenkins of Kingston; and two nephews, Kenneth L. Bates, III of Whitman, and Thomas Bates of Taunton, and their families.
Gordon was born on April 12, 1934. He is the son of the late Kenneth L. and Helen (Doherty) Bates, and younger brother to the late Kenneth L. Bates, Jr. He graduated from Abington High School in 1952, serving as class president for 4 years and receiving 12 varsity letters in three sports. Gordon excelled as a baseball pitcher. He was drafted by the Boston Braves, attended minor league training camp, and was offered a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He then served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956 with the 516th Signal Company and 75th regimental Combat Team honor guard and drill team from Ft. Devens.
Gordon achieved an M.A. in education from Bridgewater State College, and taught science for 34 years in the Hingham public schools. He coached baseball and football for Hingham High School, and baseball for Abington Little League, Abington Junior Legion and Hingham Junior Legion. He was the first Secretary of the Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association.
Gordon served his community as a member of the Abington Town Building Committee, the Board of Directors at the North Abington Cooperative Bank (now the Abington Bank), the Abington Fire Department as an on-call firefighter, and as a volunteer at the Abington Food Pantry run by the Saint Vincent de Paul Society at Saint Bridget's Parish. He was a lifelong active member of the United Church of Christ in Abington and served many years on the Board of Trustees. He was honored with the Abington High School Alumni Association award in 2010, Abington High School Athletic Hall of Fame induction in 2015, and the "Abington's Best" designation from the Board of Selectmen in 2018. Gordon will be remembered as a man of unwavering faith in God and commitment to his family, his church and his many caring friends, neighbors, former students and athletes he coached.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Friday, October 5, 2018 from 4:00-7:00PM at the Blanchard Funeral Chapel, Plymouth Street (Rte. 58 @ the rotary) Whitman. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at the United Church of Christ in Abington, 10 Bedford Street, Abington, followed by interment at Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Abington.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Gordon’s memory to the United Church of Christ in Abington maintenance fund.