Rev. Samuel "Sam" Keith Bates

Rev. Samuel “Sam” Keith Bates, age 59 of 472 Valley Drive, Toccoa, Georgia passed away Sunday, December 17, 2017 at his residence.

A son of the late George Wade Bates and Dorothy McCauly Bates, he was born October 20, 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee having lived in Birmingham, Alabama and the last 17 years in the Toccoa area. He was a Graduate of Luther Rice Seminary. He served as pastor for several churches, Tugalo Baptist in Toccoa and Center Grove Baptist in Pendergrass, Georgia, Associate Pastor and Minister of Music at Hill Street Baptist and later with Webbs Creek Baptist in Homer, Georgia as Minister of Music.

Survivors include his wife of the home, Perrianne Watson Bates; daughter and son-in-law, Emilie and Jason Pritchett of Homer, Georgia; three grandchildren, Hannah Pritchett, Joel Pritchett and Elijah Pritchett; step-mother, Sally Bates of Birmingham, Alabama; brother, Roger Bates of Birmingham, Alabama; two sisters, Judith Sasser of Pensacola, Florida and Robin Bates of Longview, Texas; uncle and aunt, Frank and Frieda Bates of Birmingham, Alabama.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, December 20, 2017, 11:30 a.m. in the Hillcrest Chapel of the Acree-Davis Funeral Home with The Reverend Paul Garrison officiating.

The family will receive friends at the Acree-Davis Funeral Home on Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. until the service time.

Interment will follow in the Damascus Baptist Church Cemetery with the Acree-Davis Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements for Rev. Samuel “Sam” Keith Bates.