Ronald Edwin Bates passed away February 25, 2015, at home in Hines, Oregon, following complications due to cancer.  He was 81 years old. Ron was born May 29, 1933, in Caldwell, Idaho, to Ed and June (Pitkin) Bates.  He was the oldest of three children.  His family moved to Vale, Oregon, from Emmett, Idaho, when he was three years old.  He attended school in Vale from first grade through high school, with the exception of attending one year of school in Twin Falls, Idaho. Ron loved the outdoors.  He grew up fishing and swimming in the river with his brother and cousins, and climbing a mountain near town looking for lizards, porcupines, snakes and other critters.  He has referred to these childhood experiences as some of the most enjoyable times of his life. Sports were Ron's life in high school.  He was an accomplished athlete.  He played on the first team in baseball all four years of high school.  He played on the first teams in basketball and football three years each.  He led the league (which consisted of nine schools) in punting in football, and won the punting contest at a football jamboree with a sixty yard kick from scrimmage.  He led the league in scoring in basketball as a senior. After graduating from Vale High School in 1951, Ron studied fish and game management for two years at Oregon State College in Corvallis, Oregon.  He then served three years in the United States Army and is a veteran of the Korean War.  Ron also spent time at bases in Maryland, New Mexico, and Washington. Ron returned to Vale after his time in the service.  He accepted a job as deputy county clerk in the Malheur County Clerk's office.  This is where he met Deanna Marx, also an employee in the office.   Ron and Deanna had the unusual opportunity to issue their own marriage license, and were married December 30, 1958, in Vale. Ron received a job offer from the Land Title Insurance Company in 1964.  He worked in the Ontario, Oregon, office for 18 months.  In July 1965 the company sent him to manage the branch office in Burns, Oregon.  He continued to manage the Burns office until his retirement. Ron and Deanna are the parents of six children.  Ron continued to enjoy the outdoors while raising his family, taking them fishing and camping.  He took his family on a two week vacation every summer.  Camping along the Oregon Coast and going to Disneyland were family favorites.   Picnics at Idlewild followed by talking a walk with Grandpa were highlights for his grandchildren. Ron retired from the Land Title Insurance Company in 1995.  Deanna closed the doors of her in-home day care business in 1996.  Retirement brought the opportunity for Ron and Deanna to spend six months of the year in St. George, Utah.  They enjoyed the warmer weather during the winter months, and walked many miles throughout the years along ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬the Virgin River Trail.  They continued to make St. George their second home until 2014, at which time Ron was too sick to make the trip. Ron was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He served as the Bishop of the Burns Ward congregation for over seven years.  During his service as Bishop he chose the building site upon which the Burns Ward chapel currently stands. Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Ed Bates and June Pitkin Bates Croner.  He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Deanna, children Marci, Gary, Veito, Debbie (John Sevy), Diane, and Gene (Becky), and ten grandchildren.  He is also survived by siblings Larry Bates (Marilyn) and Linda (Jerry Maylin). Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 7, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Burns, Oregon.  A viewing will be held earlier that morning at 9:30 a.m. at the church building.  Interment will be at the Burns Cemetery. Contributions in Ron's memory may be made to the National Park Foundation.