Ruth Elaine Ates

Funeral services for Ruth Elaine Ates will be held at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at Fountain of Life United Pentecostal Church in Natchitoches, LA with Rev. Wesley Ates and Rev. Mike Ates officiating. Interment will follow at Fern Park Cemetery in Natchitoches, LA. The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm on February 1, 2016 at Fountain of Life United Pentecostal Church in Natchitoches, LA. Ruth Elaine Ates, 73 years of age, passed away January 30, 2016. She was born in Winnfield, Louisiana, on February 7, 1942. She learned about God at a very early age and never forgot what she learned. She led a Christian life and she loved Jesus. She enjoyed telling her children and grandchildren, and anyone else she met, all about Jesus and His love and grace. She was a hard worker and strong willed (very strong willed!). She woke up with a new project everyday. She always said "If there is a will, there is a way". She was right about that. And we all know what that meant: If "she willed" it, then it would be done "her way". We were recently asked what her occupation was. As a family, we all just looked at each other and then simultaneously the list started. She was a mother, a carpenter, a convenient store owner, a waitress, a truck driver, restaurant owner, a cattleman, seamstress, a landlord. That was a hard question. She had so many talents and she loved to work. She loved to sing and she loved music. She loved gardening, She loved her chickens and her cows, both of which she treated like pets instead of farm animals. Most of all she loved her family. She loved her brothers and sisters. She loved her children, their children, and their children. Although she had enough children of her own, she always managed to collect more. She had a number of "adopted" children, many of whom are employed by Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. To them, we give great thanks for their compassion, patience, understanding, and love. We will cherish her memory and miss her dearly. She is survived by her children, Janiece Richard of Natchitoches, Ricky Carpenter and his wife Kimberly of Natchitoches, Toni Pokoney and her husband Rick Pokoney of Jackson, Mississippi, Sarah "Jan" O’Bannon and her husband, Bruce O’Bannon of Provencal, Jack Davis of Natchitoches, and Carolyn Miller, and her husband, Nathan Miller, of Natchitoches; her grandchildren, April Werner, Luke Smith, Janie Smith, Kerry Carpenter, Trent Carpenter, Megan Sesvold, James Soule, Trey Soule, Richard Soule, William O'Bannon, Wayne Moran, Marcus Moran, Zachary Davis, Dominique Davis, Kelsey Miller, and Brianna Guillory; as well as many great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers and sisters, Wesley Ates and his wife Drusilla of Frisco Texas, Frances Ates of Shreveport, Louisiana, Michael Ates and his wife Nancy of Green Forest, Arkansas, Sarah Verdier and her husband Donnie Garrison of North Little Rock, Arkansas, Sam Ates of Shreveport, Louisiana; step bothers and sisters, Dorothy Dowden and her husband Donald of Yellville, Arkansas, Janet Nell Haskins of Texarkana, Texas, Huey Parks and his wife Linda of Texarkana, Arkansas, Richard Ates and his wife Carmen of Houston, Arkansas, Randy Ates and his wife Carrie, of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. She was preceded in death by her parents, David Lee Ates and Ruth O’Dell Ates; her daughter, Marie Roop; her sister-in-law, Joyce Ates; her grandson, Quadro Smith; and an infant son. Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Luke Smith, Marcus Moran, Rick Pokoney, Richard Soule, Ryan Werner, and Wayne Moran.