Rc Bales

R C Bales went home to be with his Lord on Monday, March 9, 2015 at age 99. He was born on July 14, 1915 in McKnight, Texas to Thomas Andrew Bales and Haughtie May Shaw Bales. He was the third of four children. Red met Mildred Ruth Hagemeier in Memphis, Texas in January of 1933 and they were married December 8, 1935. Red and Mildred followed the Hagemeier family to the Yakima Valley in 1942. They farmed in Zillah, owned and operated a grocery store in Harrah, and then moved to Wapato where they owned and operated Bales Custom Meats until 1987. They started Bales Antiques in 1974 and then relocated the shop and their home to Naches in 1994 which he operated until 2012. Red and Mildred were married 69 years. Red started playing basketball in high school and continued playing in church leagues with the Zillah and Wapato church teams until he was 48 years old. He also enjoyed riding and showing quarter horses and riding in the Toppenish Pow Wow Parade. In the mid 60’s, he started playing polo and was a very strong competitor scoring from the #1 position playing in many Northwest tournaments. Red was an active member of the Church of the Nazarene. He led congregational singing, was NYPS President for many years and served on the church board for 40 years. He and Mildred picked up kids for Sunday School often adding four or more to an already packed car. They hosted many pastors, missionaries and evangelists for a week or just Sunday dinner. He especially enjoyed visiting and the late Sunday meal after evening church. They loved dry camping and picking huckleberries for many years. In his later years he enjoyed his park like yard, raising flowers and mowing his yard until his late 90’s. Red is survived by his children Peggy Cates, Marilyn Hoops (Boyd), Marvin Bales (Darla), sister-in-law Joyce Bales, grandchildren Jimmy Cates, Hunter Cates, Marcia Wright, Michael Hoops, Jennifer Anderson, Joshua Hoops, Mindy Alsworth, Molly Fleming, Andrew Bales, 21 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Thomas and Haughtie, wife Mildred, daughter Donna Bales, sisters Lorraine Blankenship and Pauline Hickerson, brother Cordell Bales, son-in-law Hunter Cates and great-granddaughter Bryn Alsworth. Thank you to Landmark Care Center for their excellent care of Red. A memorial service will be Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. at West Valley Church of the Nazarene at 7109 Nob Hill Boulevard, Yakima, WA. The graveside service will be at 10:00 a.m. at the Zillah Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made out to West Valley Church mission projects To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rc Bales, please visit our flower store.