Billie Jean Cates

Billie Jean Cates, 89, of Republic passed away on June 10, 2022. He was born May 4, 1933, in Mt. Vernon, to Roy and Charlene (Nelson) Cates. He married Lula ( Mary) Pyatt on June 7, 1953.
Cates served in the United States Air Force and was deployed during the Korean War. He then was a corpsman in the Active Naval Reserves. His lifetime career was nursing, and he spent over 30 years employed at the MO State Sanitorium as an RN.
He is survived by his three daughters, Dawn Zabinski, Jeanne Hanf and Alice Beckett; nine grandchildren; five great-grandsons; 11 great-granddaughters; and numerous nephews and nieces.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery, with Rev. Terris Cates officiating. The family requests memorial donations to https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org.