Obituary of Eva Reid Gates

Eva Reid Gates passed away December 14, 2022, in Olympia, Washington.  She was born October 18, 1932, to Charlie Reid and Addie Hollingsworth Reid in Shubuta, Mississippi. She resided in Carmichael, Mississippi, until 2009.

Ms. Eva attended school at Liberty Hill in Mississippi. She loved sewing, gardening and singing. She was a giver of herself and she gave to all those she met.  She loved her siblings and she loved her children.  She would give to you whatever she could and she would help anyone that she could help.  

Ms. Eva loved the simple things in life: the early morning sunrise, the sound of rain on a roof, her food, and watching small rabbits hopping in the sunset.  She loved to be around people and had a wonderful sense of humor.  She loved to make others smile and laugh. Whether you knew her as Mom, Mama, Sister, Ms. Eva, Aunt Sister or Cousin Eva, to have known her was to love her.  She had a great love for animals, especially her cats, Scootie, Slick “Rocky,” Gracie and Apollo.

She is survived by sons, Milton Gates of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wilson Alvin Gates of         Meridian, Mississippi, and Nathaniel Gates also of Meridian; daughters, Sandra F. Sears (Walter Sears) of Olympia, Washington, Jeannette Gates of Shawnee, Kansas, and Melinda Gates of Greenville, North Carolina; eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was predeceased by her husband, Wilson Gates; brothers, Jake Reid, Albert Read, Brother Reed; sisters, Minnie Howze, Annie Buckley and Alee Heidelberg; daughter-in-law, Chelsea Gates; and grandson, Sha’mez Gates.

Thank you to each person who provided words of comfort, visits and gifts.  The family truly appreciate your acts of kindness.

“We love and miss you, Mom.  May you rest in heaven.”

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