Ora Rita Bates, 76, died June 26 at 11 p.m. of natural causes while being taken to Hamilton General Hospital.
Born Oct. 24, 1944, to Ira James Bailey and Sammy Lucille Bailey, she was the youngest of 13 siblings. Rita grew up at Evant and graduated Evant High School. She mar ried Roy Stanley Bates on Nov. 27, 1960, and had five children, Ricky Don Bates, William Randy Bates, Rodney Arvel Bates, Cyn…
