Thomas Eugene Bates, 76, died Friday, July 15, 2016, at the Methodist Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The funeral service will be held Wednesday, at 2 p.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Oxford, with the Rev. Ann Whitaker officiating. Visitation will be held beginning at 12 p.m. until the time of the service at the church. Burial will take place Thursday, at 10 a.m. in Natchez Cemetery in Natchez, with the Rev. Hubert Morris officiating. Waller Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Born in Florence, Alabama to the late Thomas Issac and Edna Sandifer Bates, Tom was retired from the University of Mississippi where he served as the Assistant Dean of the School of Education and taught statistics. He was a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and enjoyed traveling and reading. He was an officer of the Friends of the Library. Tom was an accomplished percussionist and played in the Oxford, Hattiesburg and Slidell Community Bands. Before coming to Ole Miss, he taught and was an administrator at Shenandoah University for 15 years. His great-great Aunt Kathryn Lee Bates wrote the words to the song America the Beautiful. He was a veteran of the United States Army where he achieved the rank of First Lieutenant during his service.

He is survived by his wife, Carol Williamson Bates of Oxford; daughter, Jodi Andrew and her husband, Jackie of Chatham, Louisiana; brother, Reggie Crawford of Texas; grandchild, Brooke Wells of West Monroe, Louisiana, and a great grandchild, Ana Brooke Wells, also of West Monroe, Louisiana.

Memorial contributions in Tom’s memory may be made to the Oxford-Lafayette Library, 401 Bramlett Blvd., Oxford, MS 38655 or Oxford Medical Ministries Clinic, 205 South Commerce, Oxford, MS 38655.

In honor of Tom’s service to our country, the flag of the United States Army will be flown at Waller Funeral Home.

For additional information or to sign an online guestbook, visit www.wallerfuneralhome.com or call 662-234-7971.