SALEM – Mr. Francis John Bates 83, of Salem, beloved husband of the late Barbara J. (Murray) Bates, died peacefully, April 8 ^th , 2022 at Ledgewood Nursing Home in Beverly.

Born in Salem, he was the son of the late Francis Joseph and Helena (Debski) Bates. He was raised and educated in Salem and was a graduate of Salem High School, class of 1956.

Upon graduating High School, Mr. Bates joined the United States Coast Guard Reserves and earned his honorable discharge.

An Electrician by trade and profession, Mr. Bates had been employed for over 25 years with the former Eastman Gelatin Company in Peabody until the time of his retirement. He took great pride in his profession and was known for his attention to detail. In retirement, he enjoyed staying active and had many part-time jobs.

A life long resident of the City of Salem, Francis was a life member of the Knights of Columbus, Veragua Council # 76 of Salem. He was highly involved with the Comets Drum and Bugle Corps for many years. He was Quarter Master for the Comets and was a proud parent of Drum and Bugle Corps alumni.

Francis and his beloved Barbara were avid travelers and visited many places all over the world. He was a passionate camper, enjoyed the out of doors and relished spending his time gardening. Above all else, he was a family man and was devoted to his children and grandchildren. He will be deeply missed.

Francis is survived by his children, Sherry Myslinski and her husband, Mark of Salem, Laurie Dempsey of Derry, N.H., Wendy Michaud and her husband, Ronald of Wenham and Scott F. Bates and his wife, Kathy of Middleton, his grandchildren, Bradley, Matthew, Scott, Lindsay, Derek, Olivia, Sydney and Shylah, his great grandchildren, Sophia, Emma, Maddie, Kaden and Isla, his brother, Mickey Bates of Salem and several nieces and nephews.

ARRANGEMENTS: His funeral services are private. Assisting the family with the arrangements is O'Donnell Cremations – Funerals – Celebrations, 84 Washington Sq., (at Salem Common) SALEM. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN, 38105. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105
Tel: 1-800-805-5856
Web: http://www.stjude.org/