Extracted from The McComb Enterprise-Journal (McComb, MS) Friday, April 21, 2006

Elliot C. `E.C.' Bates Jr.

Elliot C. ``E.C.'' Bates Jr., 86, of Liberty, died April 18, 2006, at Beacham Memorial Hospital in Magnolia.

Visitation was 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Brown Funeral Home in Liberty. Services were 11 a.m. today at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Liberty. Bishop Ronnie Blalock, assisted by Bro. Carl Blalock and Bro. Merrill Blalock, officiated. Burial was in Liberty Cemetery in Liberty.

Mr. Bates was born May 25, 1919, in Amite County to Elliot Chris Bates Sr. and Ludie Brabham Bates.

He was a retired cattle farmer, and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Liberty. He was a decorated Army veteran and served in the South Pacific during World War II.

Mr. Bates was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and one sister.

Survivors include his wife, Bernette Foreman Bates of Liberty; one daughter, Bernice Ray of Liberty; four brothers and sisters-in-law, William Brown Bates and Mary Alice, and Milford Bates Sr. and Wynell, all of Liberty, DeWitt and Missy Bates of Summit, and Richard and Mildred Bates of Osyka; one sister and brother-in-law, Marjorie and Harry Will of Liberty; one grandson, Sandford ``Sandy'' Ray and his wife Emily of Liberty; and two great-grandchildren, Madelyn and Kalyn Ray of Liberty.