Bishop Gates Dies; Served Tennessee
Episcopal News Service. January 28, 1988 [88017]
MEMPHIS, (DPS, Jan. 28) -- The Rt. Rev. William Fred Gates, Jr., retired suffragan bishop of the former statewide Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee, died at his home here Dec. 29 of a heart attack.
As suffragan bishop, Gates served in an assisting capacity to the Rt. Rev. John Vander Horst, former bishop of Tennessee, and to Horst's successor, Bishop William E. Sanders, who is now bishop of East Tennessee. For most of his 16 years as suffragan Gates served as the chief finance officer for the former diocese, and most of his activities centered around managing the diocese's financial affairs.
"Gates was a stalwart leader of the Church in Tennessee as a priest and bishop for over 45 years," Sander said in announcing the death. "As bishop, he supervised the development of the Church Education Program and that of college work, as well as directing the financial operation of the Church in Tennessee. He was a convincing teacher and preacher, an able administrator and a loving and wise co-worker and pastor whom we will sorely miss."
Born in Lexington, Va., on March 29, 1912, Gates was educated in public schools in Chattanooga and grew up within the congregation of St. Paul's Church in that city. He studied at Hobart College in Geneva, N.Y., but took his B.A. from the University of Chattanooga in 1934. He received a bachelor of divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria in 1937.
Gates was ordained to the diaconate June 7, 1937 and to the priesthood March 5, 1938. Churches he served included Calvary Church, Memphis; St. John's Church, Old Hickory; and St. Peter's Church, Columbia, which congregation he served as rector from 1943 until his election as suffragan bishop in 1966. He was consecrated suffragan bishop of Tennessee in Christ Church, Nashville, on Sept. 9, 1966
The bishop was a member of the Shelby County Planning Commission and served on the boards of several Memphis organizations, including the Episcopal Church Home, the Metropolitan Interfaith Association and the Memphis Institute of Medicine and Religion. He was a trustee of the University of the South at Sewanee.
Gates was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity by Virginia Theological Seminary and the University of the South in June of 1967.
He was married to the former Jane Gregory Dillard of Chattanoooga. They had two daughters, Susan, Mrs. C.H. Edwards, III, of Columbia and Anne, Mrs. Reginal 0. Kincer, Jr., of Nashville.