The Rt. Rev. George Edmonds Bates, 65, retired Bishop of Utah, died in Medford, Ore., March 31. He had suffered a long battle with failing heath, including cancer and several major surgeries.

A native of Binghamton, N.Y., Bishop Bates was a graduate of Dartmouth College and Episcopal Theological School. He was ordained deacon in 1958 and priest in 1959; he was consecrated bishop in 1986.

Before his episcopacy, Bishop Bates served parishes in New York, Oregon and New Mexico. He served on many committees at the diocesan level and as a deputy to the General Conventions of 1967 and 1973-82. Bishop Bates also served on the Council of Advice to the President of the House of Deputies.

In Utah, Bishop Bates was known for his compassion and for promoting the diocese within the community. He recruited priests with disabilities and medical conditions who were avoided by other dioceses, and he was an initiator in remodeling churches to eliminate physical barriers and to make church buildings more accessible.

He found Native American priests to serve parishes in and near the Uintah-Ouray Ute Reservation.

He spent time under a cloud of controversy when he decided to sell St. Mark's Hospital, the first hospital in Utah. The decision was made because of changes in the health care industry. The sale of the hospital allowed him to create an endowment to support diocesan outreach efforts.

The Salt Lake Tribune contributed to this article.