11/06/2021
Gloria Faith (Coffin) Bates, former judge, attorney, adjunct law professor, high school teacher, Brownie troop leader and Little League manager, passed away peacefully November 3, 2021 and ascended into Heaven to be with her Lord Jesus Christ. Earth is a little darker today but Heaven is brighter.
She was born October 19, 1934 in Dallas TX where she grew up and eventually married. She graduated valedictorian of Woodrow Wilson High School (Dallas) in 1952. On July 2, 1955 Gloria married John Thomas Bates whom she first met on their elementary school playground. She attended the University of Texas at Austin on full scholarship, the University of Oklahoma and Oxford University on full scholarship. She received Bachelor’s, Master’s and Juris Doctorate degrees from OU where she was named to Phi Beta Kappa. As a law student she was a member of the Oklahoma Law Review and received the Eugene K***z Fellowship which fully funded her studies at Oxford University, England.
After law school she was a Judicial Law Clerk for Chief Judge Luther Eubanks, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. As an attorney with Postic & Bates law firm she was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. She served many years in various Judicial positions: the District Court of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City Municipal Court, Oklahoma Dept of Labor, and the Appeal Tribunal of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. As President of the Federal Bar Association (OKC chapter) in 1995, she spear-headed disaster relief efforts when the Murrah Federal Building was bombed. She served on the Oklahoma County Bar Board of Directors and was a frequent delegate to state bar conventions.
Gloria was a leader and visionary. In 1990 she co-wrote the original mediation rules, procedures, forms and proposed court orders which were adopted that year by the District Courts of Oklahoma and Canadian counties. She gave numerous mediation training sessions for local judges and attorneys. She mediated hundreds of cases, including many pro bono. As an adjunct professor she taught the first Mediation class offered at OU College of Law. For her trailblazing work in mediation, the Oklahoma Bar Association honored her with its 1995 Outstanding Service to the Public Award.
Gloria and her daughter Julie Bates founded the Ruth Bader Ginsburg American Inn of Court with Gloria as its first president from 1995-97. Under her continued leadership and guidance, the Ginsburg Inn was named the 2006 Outstanding Inn of Court in the nation. She had a special friendship with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who gave one of her lace collar jabots to Gloria in 2018. In 2006 she received the OBA Women in Law Spotlight Award for “women who have distinguished themselves in the legal profession and who have lighted the way for other women.” For 10 years she organized the monthly Women Lawyers’ Luncheon started decades ago by Judge Arthur Lory Rakestraw. Gloria was a friend to all and mentor to many. She was the loving matriarch of her immediate and extended family - always available, attentive and supportive.
She is survived by her husband of 66 years, John Bates, and their 3 children, 7 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren: daughter Julie Elaine Bates, Oklahoma City OK (husband Martin Postic Jr, their sons David Michael Postic, OKC, and John Martin Postic, his wife Jill Marie Bourgeois Postic, their children Hugh Christopher Postic and Naomi Judith Postic, OKC); son Roger David Bates, OKC (wife Carol Fay Benson Bates, daughters Cassandra Fay Bates, OKC, Stephanie Renee Bates, OKC, Allison Ann Bates Snyder and husband Wyatt James Snyder, Austin TX); daughter Brenda Faith Bates Fuller, Colleyville TX (husband Brian Ray Fuller, their son Brandon Thomas Fuller, his children Brinley Ray Fuller, William Sullivan Fuller and Emma Rose Fuller, Bedford TX; and their daughter Breanna Faith Fuller Yeargin, her husband Daniel Keith Yeargin and their daughter Harper Ann Yeargin, Denton TX). Other survivors are brother-in-law Dr James Francis Eades, Houston TX; niece Pamela Kay Eades, Aurora CO (husband Keith Singer, their daughters Emily Kay Singer, Aurora CO and Amanda Leigh Singer, Arvada CO); niece Betsy Ann Eades, Houston TX (husband Greg Allan Renfro, their children Haley Ann Renfro, Nashville TN, Jacob Allan Renfro and wife Kathryn Patricia Lemmons Renfro, San Antonio TX, Audrey Lynn Renfro, Bristol, England); nieces Janet Kay Larsen and Carol Marie Larsen, Mesa AZ; nephew William Henry Larsen, Ft Myers FL (wife Beth and their son Connor William Larsen); all her beloved nieces and nephews of her husband, John; exceptionally close friends Bruce Kerr, OKC, Kelsey Skiba, San Antonio TX, and Pam Mahonchak, Centennial CO. Gloria was predeceased by father William Henry Coffin III, mother Billie Mae Whitehead Coffin, sister Shirley Ann Coffin Eades, sister Barbara Elaine Coffin Larsen and brother-in-law Floyd Eugene Larsen.
The family will receive friends at St Luke’s United Methodist Church, 222 NW 15th St, OKC from 6-8 p.m. on Sunday, November 14th. A celebration of Gloria’s life and ascent into Heaven will also be at St Luke’s, where she was a long-time member, at 11:00 a.m. Monday, November 15th. A graveside ceremony will be Tuesday, November 16th at Restland Cemetery, Dallas TX. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Gloria’s name to St Luke’s United Methodist Church OKC Foundation Fund, attention Roxanne Lloyd at the above address.
