Pamela Sue Bates passed from this life with her family by her side on July 4, 2022, at the age of 69.

Pam, as she was known by many, was born to Dale and Sylvia Lewis on July 21, 1952, in Cortez, CO. In her younger years, the family moved to many places which gave Pam the opportunity to meet many, many brethren.  Pam was the baby sister of the seven "Lewis Girls".  Her Daddy had told her Mama at the beginning of their marriage, that he'd name the boys and she could name the girls.  But by the seventh daughter, her Daddy decided he'd better at least name one of his children.  Pam had a close bond with all her sisters and enjoyed singing praises to the Lord with them. She began her walk with the Lord in her teenage years when she asked Bro Bob Byers to baptize her.  From that moment on, to be called Sis. Pam was precious to her.

She married her sweetheart, Frank "Eugene" Bates, in Grand Junction, CO, on July 21, 1974, which was also Sis. Pam's birthday.  They were blessed with five children, whom Sis Pam loved with all her heart.  If you spent any time with Sis Pam, you knew her first love was for her Lord and also singing!  She was blessed with a beautiful voice and used it to honor her God and encourage others.  She would take her children to local nursing homes and they would sing for the residents there.  Sis Pam made everything fun.  Her children talked about how they would walk along the road and pick up cans, they would go pick cotton and pick berries and they all enjoyed the time because Sis Pam made it fun.  It wasn't until years later they realized that they were doing that to help the family through financial hardships, to them it was just a good time with Mom.

Sis Pam had a beautiful smile.  She worked hard and endured hardships in life, but you would never know it with the smile that she constantly wore.  Sis Pam loved the ocean, loved to travel among God's people, loved baking cookies for her children and even the neighborhood children.  She enjoyed being a janitor for the local schools.  All the students loved Ms. Pam.  Even though she was a janitor, she was utilized to do one-on-one readings with kids who struggled in their reading because of her patience and kindness she always showed. Her niece and nephew began going to school and called her Aunt Pam when they were there, so all the kids adopted that name from then on and she became Aunt Pam. She was a natural caregiver with a humble heart caring for her husband and many sisters toward the end of their life.

Sis Pam leaves behind her five children: Justin Bates and his wife Kim, Robert Bates and his wife Ashlyn, Walter Bates, Candiss Amtower and her husband Dave, and Tamalisa Crane and her husband BJ.  Grandchildren Jordan Bates, Kloe Bates, Mason Bates, Peyton Bates, Jaxton Bates, Achaia Crane, Breccan Crane and Chanston Crane.  Her sisters Lenora Herrmann, Minnie McCracken, and Linda Hays.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Eugene, sisters Wanda Bellew, Joyce Easter and Betha Gray and her grandchildren Kendyll Brooke Bates, Terri Don Bates, Ashland Faith Bates and Dylan Hunter Eugene Bates.