Rosa Helen Gates, age eighty-two, died November 22nd after a short illness.

Helen “MeMa” was born June 2nd, 1925 in Carrboro, NC. She was preceded in death by her husband Willie A. Gates Sr. and her son, Herald Kent Gates.

She is survived by her childen, sons Ronnie Gates and wife Shirley, Billy Gates and wife Donna, daughter Cindy Hicks and husband David and one sister, Dixie Plummer.

Helen is blessed by many grandchildren whom love and cherish her always: Shannon Taylor and wife Chanita, Brad Hicks and wife Ashley, Andrea, Drew and Emily Gates, William and Matthew Gates, Kassina Wyrick and husband Gary, Rhonda Furr and husband Steve, Tina Pearce and husband Scott, Gina Shirley and husband Clint, and John Huckabee. She has six great-grandchildren, Dayton and Levi Hicks, Ashley and Amanda Wyrick, Zack Crews, Tripp West and Grace Shirley.

Helen was a long time resident of Chapel Hill and had retired with many years of service from UNC Hospital.
Her kind and loving ways have made her family feel very grateful for all the wonderful years.

The family would also like to thank Brookshire Nursing home in Hillsborough, NC for the love and care they have shown Helen and the entire family over the last few years. We will miss her with all our heart.

A funeral service will be conducted on Monday, Nov. 26, 2007 at Walker’s Funeral Home Chapel at 2 pm. Burial will follow at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007 from 7 pm until 9 p.m.