Obituary

Donald William Gatens
(April 29, 1932 - April 21, 2010)

DONALD WILLIAM GATENS Sr., 77, of Huntington, passed away Wednesday April 21, 2010, at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Reger Funeral Chapel by the Rev. C.J. Adkins. Burial will follow in Woodmere Memorial Park, Huntington. He was born April 29, 1932, in Hanley, W.Va., a son of the late James Raymond Gatens and Ada Katherine Davis McCullough. Donald graduated from Huntington High School in 1949 and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served for four years. After his tour of duty in the Navy, he attended Marshall University. He started his career with WSAZ as a tower engineer, was an instrument mechanic at Novamont, a draftsman engineer for Bicolnimous Industries and ACF sales manager of mine and industrial cars. Donald was general manager of Haskell of Huntington and vice president of sales for AAR Hardware of California. He attended Westmoreland Baptist Church and 5th Avenue Baptist Church and was a member of the Huntington Rotary Club. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, James Patrick Gatens. Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Katie Watson Gatens; a son and daughter-in-law, Donald William Gatens II and his wife, Lyn of Huntington; a daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Jim Bailey of Huntington; granddaughter, Amie Lynn and husband Patrick Fawks and grandson Patrick James Bailey, all of Huntington; three stepgrandchildren, Ryan Kelly, Patrick Tyler and Griffen Scott Eastham, all of Huntington; three great-grandchildren, Madison, Mason and Max. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Reger Funeral Home.