Mr. Billy Joe Bates, age 80, of Princeton, Texas passed away Wednesday, January 31, 2007 in Plano, Texas. He was born May 23, 1926 in Climax, Texas to Marvin Loyd and Mary Lee (Rodgers) Bates. On November 6, 1944, Billy married Helen Evans in McKinney, Texas. Mr. Bates was a retired aircraft mechanic and a member of the First Baptist Church of Princeton. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Helen Bates of Princeton, Texas; daughters, Laura Higginbotham of McKinney, Texas and, Cathie Grubb of Princeton, Texas; sons, Billy Calvin Bates, Terry Lynn Bates and Ronnie Glenn Bates all of Princeton, Texas and, Donald Keith Bates of Caddo Mills, Texas; 17 grandchildren; 29 great grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; sisters, Charlsie Trammell of Knoxville, Tennessee, Wanda Flanery of Princeton, Texas, Edith Terry of Blue Ridge, Texas; brothers, Eldon Bates of Merit, Texas, Johnny Bates and Jim Eddy Bates both of Princeton, Texas and, Loyd Darrell Bates of Blue Ridge, Texas; and numerous nieces, nephews and other loving relatives and friends. Preceding him in death were his parents, Loyd and Mary Bates; sister, Myrtle Brentees; brother, Marvin Loyd Bates; grandchild, Eric Timmons; and son-in-law, B. J. Higginbotham. Funeral Services will be held 2:00 PM Sunday, February 4, 2007 in the Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel, Allen, Texas with Rev. Roger Berghauser officiating and his grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Interment will follow at Ridgeview Memorial Park. Family and friends are invited to the funeral home at their convenience on Saturday to pay their respects and to sign the register book. The family will receive friends during a visitation on Saturday evening beginning at 6:00 PM.