Monday, November 12, 2007

Former mayor, father of Garth Cates, dies at 96

The November 11, 2007 Argus Observer reported the death of former Ontario mayor Leonard L. Cates, 96, Ontario, who passed away Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007.

Born in Island City, near LaGrande, on April 17, 1911, he came to Ontario from Baker in 1947 to be a full-time agent for the State Farm Insurance Company. He served on the City Council from 1959 until 1972. After the passing of the late former mayor Morgan Beck, Cates was mayor from 1972 until 1977.

He is survived by four children, Dr. Gerald (Charmaine) Cates, Cottage Grove, Ore., Roger (Lisa) Cates, Boise, Meredith (Dr. John) Stiger, Milwaukie, Ore., Joyce Rankin, Portland; a daughter-in-law, Evelyn Cates, Boise; 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Leonard Cates’ wife Edna died in 2002.

His son Garth Cates, a leader and athlete in the Ontario High School class of 1957, died in 1997.

(For the full obituary follow our link to today’s Argus Observer home page and search the archives for Leonard Cates.)

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