Randall "Randy" K. Bates

Randall “Randy” K. Bates, age 75, of Fairfield, passed away Thursday, November 21, 2019, at Jefferson County Health Center surrounded by family and friends.

Visitation for family & friends will be 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 26, 2019, at Behner Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 27, 2019, at Behner Funeral Home with Pastor Ryan Dexter & Pastor Danny Cary officiating.  In Randy’s honor, please wear your Iowa Hawkeye apparel.  Following the service, he will be cremated.  Private burial will be at a later date at Hope Lutheran Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Fairfield Little League, Community Childcare or Hope Lutheran Church.  Cards and memorials may be mailed to 2465 Glasgow Road, Fairfield, Iowa 52556.

Randy was born September 12, 1944, in Fairfield to Roger Keith and Mildred (Goodwin) Bates.  He married Colleen Marie Burger on August 10, 1985.

Randy graduated from Fairfield High School in 1962.  He attended Hope Lutheran Church in Germanville, IA.  He worked at the Iowa Malleable, a security guard for Plexco & Rockwell and owned his own mowing business.  He was very knowledgeable about sports and was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan who could talk to anyone for hours about it.  He was known for his collection of sports t-shirts and hats from all over the U.S.    Randy was on the first Little League Baseball team in Fairfield in 1957 and was known as the “Home Run Hitter”.  The love for sports continued in his grandson, Tallon.  He and Colleen would go and watch all his sporting events.

Randy will be missed by his wife of 34 years, Colleen of Fairfield; his son, Randall Bates Jr. of Fairfield; grandson, Tallon Bates; mother, Mildred Bates-Smith; half-brother, Ronnie (Pris) Bates of Thailand; mother-in-law, Anna Mae Burger; sisters-in-law, Betty (John) Burr and Linda Burger; aunt, Maxine Bates; nieces, Mayree (Curtis) Workman, Jennifer Russell and Linda Bates; nephews, Patrick Bates and Steve (Kim) Winslow; and many great nieces, nephews and cousins.

Randy was preceded in death by his father, Roger; father-in-law, Howard Burger; step father, Cloyd Smith; brothers-in-law, Dewayne Burger & Richard Russell Sr.

Randy was a loving, caring, honest, giving, and kind son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin and friend.  He will be missed by all.