Larry Leroy Bates, 58, of Gentry, Ark., passed away on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, at the Mercy Hospital in Rogers. Larry was born on Feb. 10, 1960, in Grove, Okla., a son of Ernest Leroy Bates and Delores Darlene Knight Bates. Larry was a diesel mechanic for the Valley View Trucking Co. in Gentry, attended the First Christian Church in Gentry, loved working on cars with his son and was very proud of his 2017 Mustang.
Survivors include his wife, Sally Bates of the home; his step-mother, Paula Jane Hutton of Siloam Springs; two sons, Cody Smith and Caleb Bates, both of Gentry; two daughters, Christina Crozier of Lebanon, Ore., and Tabitha Dagley of Gravette; two step-daughters, Lina Lewis of Springdale and Tabitha Lingo of Pineville, Mo.; one step-son, Odis Anthney of Huntsville, Ark.; two sisters, Janie Hamilton of Ulysses, Kan., and Jerri Peachee of Siloam Springs; 17 grandchildren and his dog, Charlie. He was preceded in death by one sister, Connie Pederson.
Visitation will be held at the Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home in Siloam Springs on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Funeral service will be held at the Backstrom-Pyeatte Chapel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, at 10 a.m. Arrangements are under the direction of the Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home. To sign online guestbook, please go to www.backstrom-pyeatte.com.

Published January 2, 2019