It is with hearts full of both sorrow and gratitude that our family shares the passing of our beloved brother, Horace Ulysses Bates — “Horse” to nearly everyone who knew him. He entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, just eight days after celebrating his 67th birthday.

If you knew Horace, you knew his smile. You knew that no matter how he felt, the answer was always “I’m doing fine.” And you probably knew what it was to ride somewhere with him, because he never let anybody go without a way to get where they needed to be.

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7

                                                                                        — The Bates Family

Horace Ulysses Bates, also known as "Horse" age 67, passed away on Wednesday, July 29, 2026 in Lynchburg. He was the son of the late Howson F. Bates, Sr. and Lulu Emma Callands Bates.

He leaves to cherish his memory his elder brother, Howson F. Bates, Jr.; his sisters, Lesia Bates Moss and Lorisa Bates; his aunts, Ella Moore (David) and Irise Gilliam Bates, widow of his father’s twin brother, Howard; his nephews, Lamont Bates, Robert Bates, and Michael Callan Moss; his nieces, Arlene Bates and Shanika Bates; his cherished cousins, Jackie Callands and Geneva Jones (Gerald); devoted friends, John Scott, JT Hancock, Kenny Johnson and Rev. Michael Davis, who talked with him, drove him to appointments and prayed with him daily; and a host of other cousins, friends, and former co-workers with whom he faithfully kept in touch through the years.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to his caregivers — Sean Elam, Venus Elam, Charmaine Elam, Delores Price, and Evelyn Bates — for the tenderness and dignity with which they cared for Horace. In addition, we are deeply grateful to Rev. Larry Paterson, Mt Airy Baptist Church and Rev. Finley, Aspen Hill Baptist Church, for their spiritual guidance and continued support.

In Lieu of Flowers

For more than fifteen years, Horace managed diabetes in a part of Virginia where consistent care and affordable medication are hard to come by. The Free Clinic of Central Virginia provides exactly what so many patients need most — free medical care, chronic disease management, and an on-site pharmacy — for uninsured and underinsured residents of Campbell County and the surrounding communities, at no cost to the patient.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Horace Ulysses Bates to:

The Free Clinic of Central Virginia

1016 Main Street • Lynchburg, Virginia 24504

(434) 847-5866

https://freeclinicofcentralvirginia-bloom.kindful.com