CULLMAN, Ala. – In a third-floor courtroom at the Cullman County Courthouse on a Saturday morning in July 2000, Circuit Clerk Robert Gene Bates welcomed Sacred Harp singers, offered the opening prayer and read “The Old Bridge Builder.”
The moment lasted only minutes, but it captured the two roles Bates carried for decades: keeper of the county’s court business and a steady presence in the life of the community.
Bates, 85, died Sunday, Oct. 25. He is being remembered for 30 years of public service, a lifelong commitment to his church, 57 years as a Mason and a family life that included 66 years of marriage to his wife, Janice.
The Cullman County Commission said Bates’ commitment during three decades as circuit clerk left a lasting impact on the community.
Mayor Woody Jacobs and the Cullman City Council also extended condolences to Bates’ family and friends.
“We are grateful for his 30 years of dedicated service to Cullman County,” the city said.
The circuit clerk serves as the court system’s business manager.
The office maintains court records, issues summonses and subpoenas, collects court-ordered money and manages jurors.
In Cullman County, the circuit clerk also serves as the absentee election manager.
That meant Bates’ work reached residents at consequential moments: filing a case, responding to a subpoena, reporting for jury duty, paying court-ordered money or requesting an absentee ballot.
His experience also shaped election work beyond Cullman County.
The Alabama Election Handbook credits Bates with reviewing its chapters on absentee voting qualifications, the duties of circuit clerks and the work of absentee election managers.
The Alabama Law Institute also lists him among the members of its 2003 Election Law committee.
Bates drew attention to the obstacles facing military personnel and other Alabama voters overseas.
His office mailed 153 absentee ballots to those voters for the 2004 general election, but 66 were not returned.
In 2008, Bates pointed to that gap as Alabama circuit clerks supported a more efficient electronic voting system for citizens serving or living abroad.
His service extended beyond the courthouse.
Alabama Secretary of State records show Bates and Roger Humphrey incorporated the Bates Masonic Scholarship Fund in Cullman County in 1998 for educational purposes.
Bates was listed as an incorporator and registered agent, and annual filings named him president in 1998 and 1999.
That work reflected a Masonic commitment that continued for 57 years.
According to his obituary, Bates conducted or participated in more than 300 Masonic services, standing with families during some of their most difficult hours.
Bates was also a lifelong member of Sharon Grove Methodist Church. His public prayers at the Cullman County Singing Convention and his repeated welcomes to singers in the courthouse in 2000 and 2001 offered another glimpse of a faith expressed through presence and service.
Born Dec. 10, 1940, in Cullman, Bates was the son of Robert Lem and Mamie Pearl Trimble Bates.
His family remembered him as “wise in counsel, patient in difficulty and steadfastly kind-hearted.” They described a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather whose calm strength and love anchored generations.
In addition to Janice, survivors include daughters Cindy McSwain and Becky Faulk; grandchildren Brooke Berg and Brittany Tucker; great-grandchildren Olivia Yancy, Audrey Tucker, Caroline Berg, Anna Kate Berg and William Berg; and his brother, Frank Bates of Texas.
Away from public duties, Bates enjoyed hunting, fishing and farming. His family said he found joy in the outdoors and in working the land, carrying the same patience and dedication into those pursuits that marked the rest of his life.
Visitation will be Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 4-7 p.m. at Moss Service Funeral Home, 1901 Second Ave. NW in Cullman.
A celebration of life service will be Thursday, Oct. 29, at 1 p.m. at the funeral home, with the Revs. Paul Campbell and Delbert Freeman officiating.
A graveside committal service will follow at Shedd Cemetery in Trimble.
The poem Bates shared in the courthouse 26 years ago tells of a traveler who crosses a difficult span, then turns back to build a bridge for those who will follow.
The public record of Bates’ life traces a similar outline: three decades tending the county’s courts, work to strengthen elections, an educational fund for students and hundreds of services for grieving families.
His legacy in Cullman County is found not only in the years he served, but in the paths he helped make easier for others.
