Eddie Donald Gates
Eddie Donald Gates, 77, of Friendswood, Texas, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on January 15, 2019 from a short battle with cancer.
Eddie was born in Bakersfield, California to Paul and Movaline on March 25, 1941. He worked as a salesman/business owner in the construction and industrial area for many years. He joined the Marines in 1957 becoming a Private First Class, serving four years and was considered an exemplary Marine. During his time in the Marine Corps, he was stationed at 29 Palms California, Camp Haque Okinawa and MCRD, (Marine Corps Recruit Depot.) Eddie had a great love for boating and fishing. His family remembers the variety of music he loved, his singing and old Western movies. Eddie taught his children the value of hard work and the respect of others. He loved taking his family on many adventures and loved all his animals.
Eddie is preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Movaline Gates and his sister Julia Gates Rodriquez.
Eddie is survived by his brother Paul and children, Eddie and Karen Gatesof (Gray, TN), Debbie and Mike Mather of (Greeneville, TN), Robert and Darlene Gates of (Friendswood, TX), and Lisa Gates of (Gray, TN). Grandchildren, Carly Shaw, Chance Gates, Jenna and Jaylen Shuffler, Colin Morgan, Caleb and Kylie Shaw, Connor Morgan, Danielle Gates, Ayden Shaw, George and Dillion Gates and Josh James. Great-Grandchild, Sutton Shuffler.
The family will have a private memorial service.
Love you Dad! “Til then darlin….til then.” We’ll see you again.
You were the best father in law God blessed me with and I will forever be grateful to have you in my life. You raised amazing children and had a passion for living life to the fullest. I am truly honored to have been with you to comfort you through your battle with cancer and will forever love you and will cherish every great memory we have made over the years. You were a great grandfather to Chance, Ce-Ce and Joshua and their gonna miss you so much. We will cherish all the stories you told us of all the famous people you met and all the places you traveled around the world. Your suffering is over paw and now your our precious angel!! Rest In Paradise Ed. I’m gonna say this to you now as you have to us in every letter we got….Till Then Darling Till Then…Love you forever plus a day
While on Okinawa, he was Private Eddie Gates: 2nd Platoon, 1st HARB (Heavy Artillery Rocket Battery, aka Honest John Rockets), Camp Hauge, Okinawa 1960 – 61. I believe he made PFC after he returned to the States.
Eddie was the captain’s driver. He installed beautiful, white upholstery in the Captain’s jeep which is something he could get away with on Okinawa, but would not have been allowed to do in the States.
He could down a can of beer in seconds, much faster than if you poured it straight from the can to the ground. He liked to hang out and drink beer with Pvt. P.J. Gerhardt and buddies in the alley between our quonset huts and the E.M. Club while wearing his skivvies. He wasn’t the only one in his skivvies, well, now that I recall, yes he was. He purchased a nice tailor-made suit while on Okinawa. He enjoyed rafting in the warm water at Ishikawa Beach. He was involved in a “raid,” I call it a raid, but it was more of a welcoming party, of our replacement platoon’s quonset huts in order to let them know we didn’t appreciate that they were late replacing us and making us stay longer on Okinawa. Ha, right now I would love to be on Okinawa longer. What were we thinking?
Enjoy your transition PFC Eddie Gates, we’ll have a reunion soon.
Semper Fi,
Cpl. Neil McCarty
Neil, Thank you for the dvd with all the pictures and stories. Our family appreciates you making and sending this to us. Makes me appreciate and love my Dad even more. We are going to watch it with Dad’s grand children today! Thanks again and God bless you.
You are welcome Debbie. I think I’ll watch that DVD right now. Gonna miss that man and I hope to see him again. I am glad you liked the DVD.
I remember this man very much.He was a giant to me.He took care of his family and loved his dogs.I will admit I was scared of him because I had long hair and Bob and Ed convinced me me he would not be happy if he saw me in they’re house..but when when I finally met him him he was a great man.I looked up to him.He had this car called an Excalibur…he was a mans man..a Marine…we all make mistakes.. I’m glad he was free and with his family when he left..The Gates family are my family and always be…
Hello,
I grew up with the Gates family in Louisville back in the 80ies. A close neighborhood friend with his youngest son Bob.
Eddie “Mr. Gates” along with his sweet and loving wife helped raise an incredible family with two strong, handsome sons, two beautiful daughters, and a fun loving “Greenlawn Zoo” herd of pets. The construction supply business was his trade but keeping everyone on their toes was his business. He taught us as boys (future men) about a few of the finer things in life: Hard Work, Pride, “Dirty Harry” Clint, John Wayne, Smith & Wesson, and about having the best sense of humor in life. He would tell you jokes that hurt your sides laughing, and startle you when you least expected to almost wet yourself.
Thank you so much for your sacrifice, hard work, and honorable service to our country in the USMC. An unpaid debt to the say the least.
Thank you for the boat rides on the Ohio River, taking us kids to Opryland, and even the simple rides home from Champs roller skating rink. Always a smile on your face and a trick up your sleeve, BUT no thanks for opening Bob’s bedroom door way too early on weekend mornings and letting a wild pack of Boston terriers bum rush, jump on the beds and wake us up while licking and snorting on our faces, and Yes I could hear you laughing out in the hallway.
Thank you for touching our lives. Your footprint and love will not be forgotten.
Rest in Peace Mr. Eddie Gates. God Bless.
I will see you on the other side…
Jeff Schmidt
You always called me Buck I never asked why just smiled.I can remember you would let me cut school to go on a business/fishing trips. Where ever you moved I seemed to end up there my favorite was Florida and you told me yours was Atlanta. You where a mans man one time we walked into to some redneck bar and you yelled out I’ll kick anybody’s ass in here! Nobody said shit they where scared to ha ha.We had a bunch of good times down in Louisiana. You knew of every bar from New Orleans to Houston. The last twenty years have been tough on you but you where the toughest man I’ve ever met. I’m thankful you got to come home for your last few weeks. I’ll cherish that forever especially Christmas. I will never forget you!
You’re in me I’m in you
Till then darlings Till then I’ll see you again
Love your son Bob