Kenneth George Scates Sr.

March 30, 1943 - August 20, 2020

Kenneth George Scates, Sr. was born March 30. 1943, and died on August 20, 2020 at the age of 77 years. A native of the Center Star Community in Hickman County, Tennessee, he was the son of the late Mitchell Scates, Sr. and Mary McGill Scates. Mr. Scates received his formal education in Hickman County, graduating from O. H. Bernard where he was a member of the basketball team. In 1964, Kenneth was drafted into the United States Army where he served part of his time in Vietnam. In 1967 Kenneth married Mable Dansby Scates, his wife of almost 53 years, and shortly thereafter moved to Detroit, Michigan. In 2006 Kenneth and Mable moved back to Centerville, purchased and renovated the old Harry Gipson home on Columbia Avenue as well as the Gipson's Grocery Store under the culminated name of both their fathers, calling it "Samitch Gallery" a family legacy. Since in Centerville he became an active and working member of the Columbia Avenue Church of Christ as well as the Bernard Community Club/Center, the Democratic party, and the Hickman County Organization third weekend gathering. In addition to his wife, Mr. Scates is survived by sons Kenneth Scates Jr., Steven Gerrard (Latress) Scates, Raymond Gwanee (Sheila) Scates, daughter Melba Tamu Scates, sisters Sara Cowan of Louisville, Kentucky, Dorothy Scates, Clara Moore, Mary Flagg all of Centerville, and brother Joe Harold (Brenda) Scates, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Other survivors include four additional sisters-in-laws Ella Louise Mayberry, Annie Sue Perkins, Loretta Scates, and Audrey Scates, uncles Graham Q. McGill of Union City, Tennessee, and Lewis McGill of Nashville, many nieces and nephews, cousins, other family and friends from both the Scates-McGill and Dansby linages, all of whom loved him and will miss him forever.