116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Roger Bates
ROGER DEAN BATES
Cedar Rapids
Roger Dean Bates died Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015, at his residence in the Detroit, Mich., area.
Born Nov. 17, 1946, in Savanna, Ill., to Ivan Bates and Velma Mae Larson (Bobst), Roger grew up in Waterloo, Iowa, attending Waterloo West High School. After the death of his father, Roger joined the U.S. Army in 1964. While stationed with the Army in West Germany, Roger married Mariana Ploetz (sons, John and Raymond) in 1966. One year later their son, William (Bill) was born. The family relocated to Iowa.
Upon discharge from the Army, Roger found work as a cameraman for WMT-TV in Cedar Rapids in the early 1970s. He also attended Kirkwood Community College and later the University of Iowa School of Engi-neering. Roger and Mariana divorced in 1983.
Roger worked as a design mechanical engineer throughout the rest of his career, primarily in the aviation and automotive industries. Rockwell Collins of Cedar Rapids, General Dynamics of Fort Worth, Texas, and NaviStar Trucking of Springfield, Ohio, were just a few of his stops.
The auto industry of Detroit was his most recent stop until the poor economy forced early retirement. While in the Detroit area, Roger met and married Susan Jankowski in 2008.
He was most happy in the company of family and numerous friends. He and Susan especially enjoyed spending time with the grandchildren.
Roger's varied interests included photography and automobile racing.
Roger will be greatly missed by his surviving family: his wife, Susan; sons, John (Jean), Ray and Bill Bates; stepsons, Brian (Danielle) and Scott (Danniell) Jankowski; and grandchildren, Cassie, Abby, Faith, Everett and Julian; and nephew, Jim Howard; as well as numerous extended family and friends.
Roger was preceded in death by his parents, Ivan and Velma Bates; a sister, Juanita (Howard) Huffman; and nephews, Brian and Kevin Howard.
Roger will be interred at Mount Hope Cemetery in Waterloo, Mich., at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. In honor of Roger's service to his country, the family asks memorials be sent to your local VFW.
Daily Newsletters