Kellye G. Bates

Everyone knew Kellye Bates was exceptional—in her love, her faith, her kindness, her actions, the words she spoke and wrote and the way she treated others. Her faith in God, hope of salvation and love for her family endures. Her passions were her faith, her family, her church, the law, OU football and Thunder basketball. Her life was a reflection of her Savior and she lived to lead others to Him.

Kellye Gay Fine was born December 31, 1968 in Tulsa. Shortly after, she was adopted by Bill and Jenelle Fine, the parents she loved and adored. She stepped into God’s arms early Friday, June14, 2019 after a courageous four year battle with breast cancer. She was in her own bed in the home she loved and that was her decorating masterpiece.

Kellye was a proud lifelong resident of Oklahoma City. She was a 1987 graduate of Putnam City West High School. She was valedictorian of her class at Oklahoma City University, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in mass communications. At OCU College of Law, Kellye was a merit scholar, law review member, outstanding property law student, received multiple Am. Jur. Awards and graduated in the top five of her class.

Kellye and Tom met in undergraduate classes at OCU and married July 29, 1989 following their sophomore year. Andy was born during their second year of law school, and Billy was born three years later.

No one wondered about Kellye’s priorities. Though she was a talented attorney, her faith, family and relationships were far more important. She was a wonderful and beloved mother who loved to watch her sons play sports. They played multiple sports in elementary school. She never missed a game and was a devoted team mom. When they got to high school at Putnam City North she never missed one of Andy’s football games or Billy’s baseball games. She was a vocal supporter of her boys and wasn’t above questioning a referee’s call when she felt an injustice had occurred. These last three years, she made every U.S. Grant football game where Andy is a coach. She loved her sons’ friends and enjoyed having them in her home.

She was a ‘Boys’ Mom,’ but she loved the girls in the church youth group and enjoyed hosting them for overnight parties. Tom and Kellye taught the youth Sunday school class, and she loved to support them at their events too.

For more than a decade, Kellye led two in-depth women’s Bible study groups every year at church. She always told the ladies that Tuesdays were her favorite because she loved spending time with them. She was just as excited about attending worship on Sunday mornings. Kellye became a believer as a youth and loved lifelong friends made at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. For the last 25 years, she worshipped at Putnam City United Methodist Church.

At the beginning of her law career, she worked for a small firm and specialized in wills, trusts and estate planning. From 1997-2004, she worked in the Criminal Appeals Section of the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, followed by a stint at the American Cancer Society as a trust attorney. In the last half of her career, she returned to criminal law as a death penalty law clerk for the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. She was a gifted legal writer and greatly enjoyed working with all the different judges on the court and their staffs. She truly loved her court family and was so thankful for the many ways they stood by her and supported her during her cancer battle.

Kellye is preceded in death by her parents, Jenelle and Bill Fine; her nephew, Justin Fine; father in law, David Bates, and brother in law, Steve Bates. She is survived by her husband of 30 years, Tom Bates; her sons, Andy and Billy and daughter in law, Jacy [Taylor); her brother and sister in law, Mark and Cheryl Fine, her mother in law, Elaine Bates, and brothers in law, Matt and Amy Bates, Phil and Patty Bates, sisters in law Leslie Bates and Burneele Bates; many nieces and nephews, extended family members and as well as her friends, church family and beloved dogs Boomer and Rascal.

In these last years Kellye took great joy in welcoming Jacy to our family and was so thankful she was able to fully participate in all the events leading up to and surrounding her and Andy’s wedding. She enjoyed life’s simple pleasures and her idea of a perfect day was a fall Saturday, surrounded by her kids, Mark and Cheryl and Elaine, punctuated by a good meal and an OU football victory.

The family would like to thank Dr. Aleda Toma and Vicky Hutchens, RN with SSM Health, and Dr. Susanna Ulahannan at Stephenson Cancer Center for their outstanding care. In addition, the family appreciates the loving care given by Kellye’s large circle of friends from school, church, and work.

In lieu of flowers, the Bates family requests donations in Kellye’s name to Stephenson Cancer Center, stephensoncancercenter.org/ways-to-give.

The service to celebrate Kellye’s life will be Friday, June 21 at 10 am at Putnam City United Methodist Church at 5819 NW 41 St. Okla. City with arrangements through Guardian West, 5820 NW 41 St., Okla. City.