Spavinaw-Strang Cemetery

Spavinaw, Mayes, Oklahoma

Nick A. Bates

©Davis Family Funeral Home Dewey, Oklahoma Submitted by: Ann Weber

Nick A. Bates of Bartlesville, 76, retired NASA contractor, died Sunday in Bartlesville.

Nicky Alden Bates was born the son of Ross Maham and Millie Dallas (Henson) Bates on July 2, 1940, in Delaware County. Nick was raised around Strang, OK, until his family moved to Bartlesville in 1956. He graduated from College High in 1958 and served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Korea with an artillery unit. Once honorably discharged he attended two years at Okla. State Univ. (OSU) in Stillwater. While in college he earned his pilot's license and flying became a lifelong passion of his. Nick went to work in Phillips Petroleum Co.'s modeling department, a few years later he moved to Kansas City for a similar position. His experience in model-making led to Nick moving to Florida to work for Reel 8 where he modeled foreign aircraft used for radar detection. Along the way he was hired by aircraft manufacturers to build models of commercial aircraft for public display.

Nick's love for aviation and pioneering spirit landed him a job as a contractor for the next 35 years working on the Shuttle Program of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). He was fortunate enough to be involved with our nation's space shuttle program from the beginning till the end. Nick was one of the few people who worked on the shuttle reentry program: once the astronauts left the shuttle Nick would go in and begin the task of shutting all of the systems down. Nick was united in marriage with Janice Marie Bottoroff and they enjoyed 20 plus years of loving marriage.

Nick relished life and was always on an adventure. He loved flying, modeling aircraft for display, and built and flew remote control (RC) planes and rockets. Most recently Nick and Jan split their time between Florida in the winters and Bartlesville in the summers. They enjoyed taking their Cris Kraft boat for fun excursions in Florida and attending auctions together. Nick was proud of the fact that he was able to watch every shuttle launch from Cape Canaveral during the shuttle program.

Nick's survived by his wife Jan of the home; one sister Lois Bates Stephens and Ellis of Bartlesville; three brothers, Jack Lee Bates and Jan of Bartlesville, Ronnie K. Bates of Cocoa, Florida, and Harley Dwayne Bates and Sheri of Bartlesville; one sister in law Maggie Bates of Killeen, TX; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, and two brothers Terry Michael Bates and Bill Bates.

Graveside services will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, at the Spavinaw-Strang Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Carter Davis and the Davis Family Funeral Home. Online condolences and remembrances may be shared with Nick's family at www.DavisFamilyFuneralHome.com.

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