Oliver Cromwell Bateman

Former State Senator Oliver C. Bateman died at his family home in Macon, GA, on Friday, September 14, 2012. Funeral services with full military honors will be held at 11:00 AM Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Chip Miller and Dr. James M. Baird officiating. Graveside services and burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery.

Mr. Bateman was born August 29, 1923, to the late Mr. Dewey C. and Edna (Watson) Bateman of Walden, GA. He attended Rutland/Heard Elementary School and graduated from Lanier High School in 1941, where he served as 1st Lt. of the ROTC and President of AKO Fraternity. He then entered The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Mr. Bateman voluntarily left The Citadel and joined the Army Aviation Cadet Program. He trained at locations across the country and received his Wings in 1944, Commissioned 2nd Lt. flying the P-40 “Warhawk.” Lt. Bateman was sent to China, assigned to the 14th Air Force “Flying Tigers” 23rd Fighter Group, 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. He flew combat missions in the P-51 “Mustang” in China and India under the command of General Claire Lee Chennault.

At the end of WWII, Mr. Bateman returned to The Citadel, graduating with honors with a B.S. in business in 1948.

Bateman then attended Harvard Business School and graduated in 1950 with a Masters in Business Administration. He moved back to Macon and worked with Bateman Frozen Foods and Canning Company. In 1951, Bateman volunteered to return to active duty in the USAF during the Korean War. He was stationed at Kelly AFB, TX, and given Top Secret Clearance to fly items in the C-47 to several Strategic Air Command bases. Bateman left active duty in 1953 and moved to Winter Haven, FL, to work for Inland Container Corporation. He continued his passion for flying while in FL, logging hundreds of hours in various aircraft. In 1960, Mr. Bateman returned permanently to Macon to work with his Father at Bateman Company, farming over 5,000 acres of peaches in Bibb, Peach, Houston, Crawford, and Jones Counties. In 1964, Bateman entered politics and was elected as a Republican to the Georgia State Senate, becoming Senate Minority Leader in 1966. Senator Bateman was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1968 and attended the Inauguration of President Richard Nixon. He was a candidate for Governor in 1970 against Governor Jimmy Carter, but withdrew from the race to concentrate on “raising family and peaches.” He left the State Senate in 1972, but remained active in local, State, and National politics his entire life. He served as a member of the Nation’s 1972 Presidential Electoral College, was appointed by Gov. George Busbee as Chairman of the Georgia State Ethics Commission from 1980-1985, served on various Republican Boards, including Chairman of the 1980 Georgia State Convention, which was instrumental in the election of President Ronald Reagan. He was a mentor and close friend to the late U.S. Senator Paul D. Coverdell, and still credited by many as the first Conservative leader in Georgia. Mr. Bateman was an active member of First Presbyterian Church for over 40 years, serving as both Elder and Deacon. He was involved in the founding of First Presbyterian Day School and served on the Board of Trustees, four years as Chairman. Bateman volunteered and was dedicated to countless civic and charity organizations, including President of the Macon Rotary Club, Director of the Macon Chamber of Commerce, Macon Symphony Orchestra Board member, Chairman of the Georgia Peach Commission, Chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Garbage Commission, Board member of Georgia Bank & Trust, Macon Federal Savings & Loan, Bank South, Southern Trust Insurance Company, First South Bank, the Macon Shield Club, Reformed Theological Seminary, Founding Member of the British Air Museum, Gridiron Secret Society member, Lifetime Member of The Citadel Men, Idle Hour Country Club member, and established a scholarship bearing his name for the Macon State College Foundation’s “Re-Leaf Campaign.” He cherished his many years with the 14th Air Force Association “Flying Tigers,” serving on the Board of Directors and as Vice President in the organization’s final year. He served on both the Museum of Aviation and the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame Boards. Mr. Bateman received numerous local, State, and National awards, including the Walter F. George School of Law “Public Service Citation,” Macon-Bibb Bar Association’s “Liberty Bell Award,” Peace Officers Association of Georgia “Lifetime Membership Award,” Rotary International “Paul Harris Fellow,” the United Daughters of the Confederacy “Cross of Military Service Awards,” named “Admiral of the Georgia Navy” by Gov. Jimmy Carter, recipient of the Flying Tigers “Chennault Award” and “Lifetime Member” Award, and the First Presbyterian Day School “Achievement Award.”

Mr. Bateman was preceded in death in 1997 by his wife, Mary Jane (Gosline) Bateman, and is survived by their children Edna K. Bateman and Oliver C. Bateman, III (Sallie) of Macon, sister-in-law Kaye F. Gosline of Dalton, GA., and grandchildren Amelia Galloway, Mary Jane and Oliver Bateman, IV, of Macon. Mr. Bateman was also preceded in death in 1966 by wife Harry Stillwell Edwards and survived by children Virginia B. Dyer (John) of Jacksonville, FL, and Bryan M. Bateman (Robin) of Macon, three grandchildren, David Williams (Kelly), Autumn Mulvihill (Shaun), and Virgninia Lane Bateman; and four great-grandchildren. The family would like to thank Jannie Mae Wynes for over 40 years of love and support.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 682 Mulberry St., Macon, GA 31201, the Museum of Aviation, P.O. Box 2469 Warner Robins, GA 31099, First Presbyterian Day School, 5671 Calvin Dr. Macon, GA 31210.

Honorary Pallbearers are Mr. William P. “Billy” Adams and Dr. Waddell Barnes of Macon; Col. Patrick M. Bartness (USAF, Ret.) of Warner Robins; Mr. James Pleydell-Bouverie of Man ‘O War Cay, Bahamas; Major Robert Campbell of Charleston, SC; Mr. Ken Cummins of Baltimore, MD; Coach John C. Sanders of Woodstock, GA; Mr. Tyron Spearman of Tifton, GA; Mr. Samuel L. Vickers of Jacksonville, FL; and the “Pallbearers Club” of Macon.

Visit www.snowsmacon.com to express tributes.

Snow’s Memorial Chapel, Funeral & Cremation Services, Cherry Street has charge of arrangements.