May 7, 1942 – June 5, 2026

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

— Romans 8:37-39

Lureteen “Tina” Bates was born on May 7, 1942, in Lake Cormorant, Mississippi, to Johney Green and Pandora Green. From humble beginnings in the heart of Mississippi, she grew into a woman of extraordinary faith, strength, and grace, a living testament to what God can do with a willing heart.

In the winter of 1959, Lureteen married Yancie Bates, and together they welcomed two children into the world, Yvonne Bates and Michael Bates, who became the great loves of her life. Though the marriage later ended, Lureteen never stopped building. She built a home rooted in faith, a family rooted in love, and a legacy that will outlast them all.

A devoted mother, grandmother, and matriarch, Lureteen was the kind of woman whose love and strength shaped everyone around her. She provided guidance, support, and endless encouragement to the people she loved, showing up for her family in ways both quiet and profound. Her greatest joy was watching her children and grandchildren flourish, and she poured herself into that purpose without reservation.

A lifelong Christian, Lureteen gave her heart to Jesus and never looked back. She was a faithful member and volunteer at Starlight Baptist Church for over 30 years, where her dedication to God’s house was unwavering. She found in Christ the love the world had not always given her, and she spent the rest of her life making sure the people around her never had to search for it the way she did. She anointed her family with holy oil, spoke life over them, and reminded them they too bleed the blood of Jesus Christ. That was her armor. That was her gift.

Lureteen worked proudly at the Ohio Garment Company for 24 years, where her love of sewing found a professional home. A gifted seamstress, she could bring fabric to life with her hands, crafting dresses with the same care and intention she gave to everything she loved. In quieter moments, she could be found tending to her garden, watching a good movie, shopping, or simply being present with the people who mattered most. As a little girl who once played with paper dolls, she grew into a woman who dressed her family in dignity.

Lureteen “Tina” Bates leaves behind a legacy too wide to measure and a love too deep to contain. She is survived by her children, Yvonne Bates and Michael Bates; her grandchildren, Jameel, Ameenah, Shameerah, HeaVen, Tanisha, Shana, Michelle, Jordan, and Jayden; her great-grandchildren, Arianna, Justin, August, Kingston, Londyn, HarLeigh, Giovanni, Joshua, Alana, Eryanna, and Keont’e; her siblings, Mary Louise, Jimmie, Willie, Lillie, Zanita, Zelisa, and Sharon; and a whole host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends too numerous to count but forever held in her heart.

She came into this world with little. She leaves it as more than a conqueror, clothed in His love, held in His arms, and separated from this life but never from Him.