Vada Mae Collins Gates

Mrs. Vada Mae Collins Gates, 87, of 509 Riverside Drive, Mount Airy, went home to be with her heavenly Father on Thursday evening, January 1, 2009, at Golden Living Center. Mrs. Gates was born July 3, 1921, in Patrick County, VA, to the late Strawdy Franklin and Bertie McBride Collins. Vada retired from Quality Mills after 35 years of service and was a member of Flat Rock Pentecostal Holiness Church. She is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Lou and Donald Hemmings and Faye and Pat Dillon, all of Mount Airy, and Betty and John Snow of Dobson; six grandchildren, Karen Smith, Jeff Thomas, Mark Thomas, and Kim Smith, all of Mount Airy, Scotty Smith of Winston-Salem, and Tim Draughon of Dobson; four stepgrandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; six great-stepgrandchildren; a great-great-grandchild; three sisters, Shirley Bowman and Iona Bunker, both of Mount Airy, and Junnie Wells of Washington, D.C.; and a special friend, Rufus Jessup of Westfield. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Gates was preceded in death by her husband, Elbert Edward Gates, Sr.; a son, Elbert Edward Gates, Jr.; a grandson, Kenneth Aaron Draughon; and two brothers, Claude Collins and Maynard Collins. The funeral service will be held Sunday, January 4, 2009, at 2:00 PM at Flat Rock Pentecostal Holiness Church. The service will be conducted by Dr. David Sparks and Brother John Snow, and burial will follow in the Oakdale Cemetery. The family will receive friends Saturday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home in Mount Airy, where her body will remain until carried to the church to lie-in-state 30 minutes before the funeral service. The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff of Golden Living Center and the staff of Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care for the love and care given to Vada during her illness. Flowers will be accepted, or memorial contributions can be made to Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care, 401 Technology Lane, Suite 200, Mount Airy, NC 27030.