Robert Bates

Robert (Bob) Lyle Bates, age 64, of Bricelyn, formerly of Winnebago, passed Tuesday, March 19, 2013, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2013, at 11:00 AM, at Spencer Owen Funeral Home in Winnebago, with Rev. Robert Bailey officiating. Private Family burial will be held at a later date. Visitation time will be from one hour prior to service at funeral home. Web tributes may be left at www.spencerowen.com He was born June 1, 1948, at Winnebago, Minnesota, the son of Vere & Elizabeth (Senn) Bates. He was raised in the Winnebago and Delavan areas where he was a 1966 graduate of Winnebago High School. He was united in marriage to Susan Dwight in 1967; to this union two children were born, Jackie and Nicky. In his early years Robert farmed with his father around Bass Lake, and ran the Bass Lake Store. He later move to Arizona in the mid 1980’s where he worked at Mobile Mini Storage in Phoenix. He also worked as a manager for Fronteras Nuevas, a hay chopping business in Chandler, Arizona that supplied hay to many dairies in the region. On March 13, 2001 he was married to Donna Abbas in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2010, following medical complications, Robert returned to the Winnebago area. He is survived by his wife, Donna of Bricelyn, daughters: Jackie (Kha) Hollstein of Stewartville, Nicky (Steve) Foth of Blue Earth, sister, Barbara (Darold) Walker of Chandler, AZ, grandchildren: Zoey Hollstein, Corinne Hollstein, & Stefania Paschke & Jade Foth and great grandson, Haydyn Paschke, step children, Dawn (Scott Hatfield of Winnebgao, Dulce (Everett) Pettit of Winnebago, Brandon Henschke of Mora, MN, and 7 step-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Robert Bates, Jr, infant daughter, and parents.