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William (Bill) Clyde Cates
William (Bill) Clyde Cates
Our beloved husband and father, William (Bill) Clyde Cates, passed away peacefully in his home on 27 November 2023. He was preceded in death by his mother Anne D. Miller, father Clyde L. Cates, and step-father Reuben S. Miller.
He is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth Victoria (Vickie) Davis Cates, his son Scott Cates and wife Jennifer, his son Brent Cates and wife Monica, his three loving grandchildren, Wesley, Wyatt, and Olivia, his brother John O. Cates, and his sister Patricia A. Miller.
He was born in Baltimore, Maryland on the 8th of February 1943. He fondly would recount memories of his youth in Edenton, North Carolina where he graduated from John A. Holmes High School (’61).
Dad loved his alma mater, Georgia Tech (’66), where he recalled going on a blind date with a young nursing student who “couldn’t stand him at first.” Despite those first impressions, they fell deeply in love, married, and were inseparable for nearly 57 years until his passing.
Together they shared an exciting life with Dad working at NASA for the Gemini and Apollo space programs and then moving to a career with IBM, helping to usher in the world of computers. Dad was an engineer through and through with family members lovingly warning each other not to ask him the time, lest they were prepared to learn how to build a clock! He also had a great sense of humor and loved that joke. Dad loved to tinker, build, think about big and small problems, play the keyboard, recite poetry he had memorized in his youth, and read. He had genuine curiosity about everything and was a life-long learner. He was always there for us and was always able to make the best out of any situation.
The family will have a private internment. Dad wished us to have a Celebration of Life ceremony after the New Year with all friends and family welcome. That gathering will be held January 6th, 2024, 2:30pm at The Oaks, 301 Del Webb Blvd, Georgetown, TX. In lieu of flowers, please let your heart lead you to donate to the charity of your choice.