LeRoy “Lee” A. Bates, 85, of Hampstead, NH, passed away on Monday, January 9, 2017 in the Portsmouth Regional Hospital in the presence of his loving family.
He was born in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin on October 1, 1931 a son of the late Mahlon and Lulu (Gilson) Bates. He had been a resident of Hampstead since 1984. Lee worked most of his career as a manufacturing engineer at General Electric, retiring in 1993. While he enjoyed golf, playing bridge and reading, Lee’s greatest passion in life was skiing and ski patrol. He worked at several of the ski resorts in New England during his 50 years as an active patroller and spent the last 23 years working at Gunstock Mountain, retiring in 2007.
Lee is survived his daughter, Bonnie L. Bunton and her family of Rye Beach, NH; his son’s, David A. Bates and his family of West Warren, MA, W. Scott Bates of Bangor, ME, and Paul A. Bates of New York City. He is also survived by six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Jane A. (Annable) Bates and a daughter, Brenda A. Armstrong.
A calling hour was held on Friday, January 13, 2017 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm at the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 15 Birch Street, Derry, NH. A memorial service followed at 7:00pm in the funeral home.