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Rev. Urban Bates, OP, Dominican Friar, longtime Alaskan
Catholic priest & missionary, died early morning September 9, 2003 in
Anchorage. He was born in Eagle Grove, Iowa, March 29, 1915. Son of
Patrick Francis Bates & Isabel Jane McKernan. He was preceded in death
earlier this year by his younger sister, Margaret Mary Bates, and his
nephew, Patrick. He is survived by his brother, Bernard Bales of
Bayside, WI, and his sister, Isabel Mullen of
Westwood, New Jersey. His nieces & nephews include:
Joseph, Mary, John. Paul, Ann, Mary, Michael, John, Catherine,
Cecily, and Elizabeth.
After serving as a medic (USN) in the South Pacific during WW II, Fr.
Urban joined the Dominican Friars of the Western province in
September 1947, and served in various parishes
of California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.
Fr. Urban served as a chaplain on the Distant Early Warning System
(Dewline) for three years. Most chaplains lasted 3 months! He was
also a missionary in Chiapas, Mexico. He was
recipient of the Archdiocesan St. Francis of
Assisi Award as outstanding Catholic priest and missionary, in
2002, the year of his 50th anniversary of ordination as a
Catholic priest. In recent years, Fr. Urban
faithfully celebrated Mass for prisoners in the
Anchorage jails, and the sick at Alaska Native Medical Center.
Funeral at Holy Family Cathedral (Anchorage) (5t1I Ave. & H St.):
Saturday, September 13, 2003. Viewing with Rosary starts at 9 a.m. Mass
starts at 10 a.m. His remains will be sent to St. Albert’s Priory,
Oakland, Ca. A Vigil will be celebrated at St. Albert’s Priory,
5890 Birch Court, Oakland, Ca. 94618 on Tuesday, September 16, at 7:30
p.m. Funeral Mass in Oakland will be at St. Albert’s Priory, Wednesday,
September 17, at 110 am., with burial following at St. Dominic’s
Cemetery, Benicia, Ca.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to support
Dominican seminarians to: Fr. Urban Bates
Memorial Burse, Western Dominican Province, 5877
Birch Court, Oakland, CA. 94618-1626. Funeral Directors: Witzleben,
Anchorage & Bayview Chapel. Berkeley, Ca.
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