James M. Kates

JAMES MATTHEW KATES was born on August 7, 1924 in Roxboro, North Carolina to the late Bernis Kates and Laura Beard. He was a jolly child who loved to talk and laugh. James attended the Person County School System in North Carolina until he and his family moved to Baltimore Maryland. James got his first job at Johns Hopkins Hospital. In 1946 James was drafted into the US Army during World War II where he served in Korea as a carpenter.

After being honorably discharged, he worked a few jobs until he landed a job at Bethlehem Steel where he worked until he retired in 1983. He met Isabelle U. Brown. On November 24, 1949 the two were married and from their union came two children, Marla L. and Debra A..

James enjoyed taking family trips up Route 40 to his brothers house in South Philadelphia. The highlight of the day was going to the market place on the way up and on the way back, eating dinner at Howard Johnsons. James spent a lot of time at home sitting on the porch with his Bermuda shorts and long socks. When James wasn't sitting on the porch, he liked shopping at Sears and Robuck company on Harford Rd. for coconut bonbons. He liked eating good food only to be topped off by his combination of ice cream and 7up soda.

James left this life on Monday December 11th, 2017. Preceding him in death are his parents, Bernis Kates and Laura Beard; uncles, Charles and Roy Kates; brothers, Edward Kates and John Kates; left to remember him are his wife, Isabelle; daughters, Marla and Debra (Henry); brother-in-law, Sam (Sylvia); baby sister, Bernice;sister-in-law Bertha (John); nephews, Johnny, Daryl and Dana; grandchildren, Aaron (Keisha), Damera, Dainer and Erika; great grandchild, Me'khi and a host of other family and friends.