Phillip Hale Gates, a resident of Atlanta, Georgia since 1960, died on August 2, 2010. He was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on March 14, 1926 and grew up in rural Kentucky. He served in the Pacific during World War II as a Radio Chief for the 8th Cavalry Regiment. After graduating from the University of Tennessee with an Electrical Engineering degree, he joined the Traffic Department of Southern Bell where he held positions in Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis before moving to the Headquarters Office in Atlanta in 1960. Later he became Executive Director of the Traffic Department for the Southern Region of AT&T and retired in 1987. Since then, he and his wife have continued to be active in church and civic affairs and have traveled extensively. Phil is survived by his wife, Betty Millard Gates, and children Richard (Rick) Gates and his wife Laura, Sharon Spears and her husband Mark, as well as his three grandsons, Ryan Spears, Christopher Gates and Millar Gates. A memorial service will be held August 14th at 11:00 am at A.S. Turner & Sons in Decatur, GA with visitation the evening of August 13th from 6-8 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice.
