Ira MacDonald Gates of Batavia passed away on Thursday, January 10, 2019, at the New York State Veterans Home in Batavia, New York. Born in Mount Union, Pennsylvania, on January 12, 1928, Ira was the third child and first son of Claude Lester Gates and (Julia) Evalyn Sheerer. He was the beloved husband of the late Irene H. Gates, to whom he was married for over 57 years; beloved father of the late Cheryl Lynn Gates of Batavia; Susan J. Blanchard (Tom) of Lockport, New York; and Evalyn I. Gates (Eric Pelander) of Snowmass, Colorado. He was known as Poppa to his five grandchildren: Kate Kleismit (Jeff) of Clarence, New York; Anna Blanchard of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Greg Pelander (Shawna) of Portland, Oregon; Jordan Pelander (Nicole) of Denver, Colorado; and Kendall Pelander (Alex Holtmeier) of Cincinnati, Ohio; and four great-grandchildren: Nathan Kleismit, Rowan Pelander, Cael Pelander and Madeline Pelander. He is survived by a sister Claudine Palm of Mattawana, Pennsylvania, and brother Claude Gates (Darlene) of Allentown, Pennsylvania; and preceded in death by sisters Weeonna Harves of Kennewick, Washington, and Blanche Kenney of Arlington, Virginia. “Uncle Bud” was also much loved by his many nieces and nephews.
Ira grew up in a small town where he developed his love of nature — hiking through the woods and exploring the mountains of central Pennsylvania with his grandfather, helping in the apple orchard, and soaring high over the river at the end of a rope swing before plunging into the water. An adventurer from an early age, he once broke his arm when he launched himself from a barn loft using an umbrella for a parachute.
A proud veteran of WWII, Ira joined the army immediately after graduating from high school in 1945, and was soon on his way to the Pacific theater, arriving shortly before the war ended. He then served as an air traffic control tower operator in Japan. Upon his return to the States, he obtained his undergraduate degree from Westminster College, and a Master’s degree from the Wharton School of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.
His first job in city government took him north to Connecticut, followed by positions in Kittanning, PA, where he met and married Irene, and Bristol, PA. They moved with their young family to Batavia in 1962, where he served as the City Administrator until his retirement in 1985. Ira was highly respected for his dedication and expertise in successfully leading the city of Batavia during his tenure, and known for his careful stewardship of tax dollars. He was even more frugal with his personal finances, and his family has many great stories of his creative approaches to not spending one more penny than absolutely necessary.
An avid sportsman and outdoorsman all his life, he was the star pitcher for a minor league baseball team during his early twenties and years later spent many hours playing whiffle ball with his daughters and grandchildren in the back yard. However, golf was his major passion and during his many travels with Irene, around the country and across the globe, the itinerary was often dictated by where the best golf courses could be found. He especially loved the annual trek to Jekyll Island, Georgia every spring with family and friends, where he played at least one round of golf every day and enjoyed fresh shrimp dinners in the evening. He spent hours in the woods hunting and camping, and often serenaded new family members with the turkey call that belonged to his grandfather.
Ira generously shared his joy in life with family and friends in many ways, including games from ping pong to pinochle; was always up for a spirited game of basketball in the driveway or badminton in the backyard; went on several whitewater rafting trips; and — at the age of 85 — took his first glider ride. His grandchildren have fond memories of time spent helping Poppa in his garden, and of his on-going feud with the squirrels over rights to the peaches from the tree he planted in the backyard.
A voracious reader, he favored books on history and biographies, and introduced his children to the beauty of poetry when they were young. Always interested in current affairs, he took great pleasure in lively debates with family members on topics ranging from environmental issues to politics. He was a member of several bridge clubs, Stafford Country Club and the Batavia Rotary Club. Ira’s faith was very important to him, and he was an active and devoted member of the First Presbyterian Church in Batavia for over 55 years.
Services will be held this Saturday, January 19, 2019, at the First Presbyterian Church, 300 East Main Street, Batavia, New York. The family will receive family and friends at the church from 1:00 - 2:45 pm in the church parlor; services will begin in the Sanctuary at 3:00 p.m. where Military Honors will follow services. All are invited to a dinner and reception in the church Fellowship Hall immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Ira may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Batavia, 300 East Main Street, Batavia, New York 14020; The Batavia Rotary Club Foundation, P.O. Box 347, Batavia, New York 14021; or the Nature Conservancy, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203, www.nature.org.
To leave a condolence, share a story or light a candle in Ira’s memory, please visit www.bataviafuneralhomes.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home 403 East Main Street, Batavia.
