Harry W. Gates Sr., 78, of Boyers, passed away Tuesday morning, August 7, 2018, at Parker Personal Care.

Harry was born in Emlenton on February 23, 1940. He was the son of the late Lewis L. and Jenny P. Elder Gates. Mr. Gates served in the US Army Reserves. He was a 32nd degree Mason and belonged to the former Canby Lodge in St. Petersburg, and the Consistory, Valley of New Castle. Harry was a long time well-known truck driver and had been employed by H.E. Shoup Trucking in Foxburg. He drove a cement truck for many years and delivered cement to the I-80 bridge project in Emlenton. Harry retired from Continental Can Company after more than ten years of service. He was an avid horse lover, especially Clydesdales.

Harry is survived by six children, Michael L. Gates, and his wife, Judy, Harry W. “Butch” Gates Jr., Kimberly J. (Gates) Eggleston, and her husband, Patrick, all of Emlenton, Christopher Gates, of Lakeworth, FL, Mary Leigh Courson, and her husband Troy, of Rt. 58, Parker, Jonathan L. Gates, and his wife, Rebecca, of Foxburg; a number of grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; two brothers, Eugene Gates, and his wife, Velma, of Saxonburg, George Gates, and his wife, Linda, of Knox; three sisters, Katherine Welder, of Hudson, OH, Mercedes Perrine, of Sandy Lake, and Nancy McClain, of Akron, OH. Also surviving is his children’s mother, and former wife, Linda Cotton Gates, of Foxburg, as well as a number of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In addition to his parents, Harry was preceded in death by a son, Jeffery L. Gates.

Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home Inc., 802 Grove Street, Saint Petersburg, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday. Military honors will be accorded by Parker VFW Post 7073 at 10:45 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. A funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. from the funeral home, with the Rev. Dan Myers, a retired United Methodist pastor, officiating. Interment will be in the Saint Petersburg Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in Mr. Gates’ name may be made to a Masonic Charity.

For more information or to send a condolence, please visit www.hilefh.com.