Kathleen Whitlow Bates, age 88, of Cedartown, passed away on Saturday, November 29, 2014. She was born on September 2, 1926, in Cedartown, Georgia.

Kathleen was the younger daughter of William Foster Whitlow and Grace Baker Whitlow, and sister of Clara Whitlow Magor. Foster Whitlow was a seaman and an accountant for a railroad company, and the girls were raised in several cities in the south. The family moved to Birmingham, AL where Kathleen attended classes for gifted students in junior high school and graduated with honors from Ramsey High School. She was musically gifted as well, singing in the choir and learning violin during her school years.

Kathleen attended Birmingham Southern College for 2 years and was member of Kappa Delta Sorority. She moved back to Cedartown in the late 40's and continued her musical interests, playing violin with the Rome Symphony Orchestra. Kathleen met Olin Bates on a blind date in November, 1948. They were married on February 25, 1950, and had four daughters: Colleen Bates Lance, Edith Grace Bates, Melinda Susan Bates, and Laura Kathleen Bates.

Kathleen was a lifelong member of St. James Episcopal church, where she was an alto in the choir, known her for beautiful singing voice, often in duets with her mother Grace's high clear soprano. Kathleen was a strong leader, active in the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta and was very influential in the life of St. James parish and in the larger church - at both the Diocesan and national church levels. She worked tirelessly to keep St. James viable in the diocese.
She also had a lifelong love of learning and became interested in psychology after acquiring group leadership skills with the Workshop Institute for Living and Learning in Atlanta. Kathleen went back to college at West Georgia College and obtained her undergraduate and Master's degrees in Psychology, completing her studies in the early 80's.
Her avid curiosity led her on travels throughout Europe, Mexico and Hawaii, and she took a cross-country trip in a camper with her daughter, Laura and her dear friend Almira Gibbons. She loved to hear about daughter Edie's business travels all over the world, especially when there were common destinations. Kathleen shared a love of theater with her daughter, Colleen, and she took acting classes in the 70's and then again with Colleen in the 90's. She and her daughter Melinda, a social worker, shared a mutual interest in social sciences, as well as traveling together and making each other laugh. By virtue of being the youngest, daughter Laura was an only child for extended periods of time, a singularly enriching experience for both of them.
Kathleen and her husband Olin, who often said, "I just pay the bills", were 3 months shy of their 65th wedding anniversary, and despite ever-increasing dependence on other people to care for them, they both agreed the past 10 years had brought them closer than ever in their marriage.
Kathleen Whitlow Bates was a woman with inner and outer beauty, intelligence, charm, wit, and playfulness, and was a confidante and rock to her immediate and extended family. Her often fiery Irish temperament was easily outmatched by her great capacity for love and compassion. With her brilliant smile and sparkling eyes, she enchanted everyone she met.

Mrs. Bates is survived by her husband, Olin Jackson Bates; daughters, Colleen Bates Lance, Edith Grace Bates, Melinda Susan Bates, Laura Kathleen Bates and son-in-law Virgil Ray Penland; several beloved nieces, nephews and cousins and her devoted cats, Harry and Bobby.

Mrs. Bates is preceded in death by her parents, William Foster and Grace Baker Whitlow; sister Clara Whitlow Magor and brother-in-law Otis Floyd Magor; nephew Otis Foster Magor; and son-in-law, Steve Bernard Lance.

The funeral arrangements for Mrs. Bates will be conducted on Tuesday, December 2, 2014, at three o'clock in the afternoon at St. James Episcopal Church with The Rev. Terri Brice and The Rev. Donald G. Black officiating. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery. A celebration of Kathleen's life will be held at the Parish House immediately following the interment.

The family of Mrs. Bates will receive family and friends on Tuesday, December 2, 2014, from one o'clock in the afternoon until three o'clock in the afternoon in the Parish House at St. James Episcopal Church, 302 West Avenue, Cedartown, Georgia.

The family has respectfully requested that flowers be omitted. Memorial contributions can be given to St. James Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 85, Cedartown, GA. 30125.

The following gentlemen will serve as pallbearers: George Hunt, Steve Hunt, John Brewster, Steve Landrum, John Magor, Hank Mobley.

Messages of condolences can be made to the family by visiting our website and signing the online guestbook at gammagefh.com.

The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home is handling the arrangements for Kathleen Whitlow Bates.