Len Alden Bates

Len Alden Bates, 78, passed away on April 3, 2026, in Fallbrook, California, while holding the hand of his bride. Born on September 28, 1947, in Aromas, California, Len lived a life of faith, family, integrity, and service to others.

Len graduated from the California Maritime Academy in 1970 and married his bride, Rebecca (Becky) Craven on October 3, 1971.

Integrity was at the core of who Len was. “Your word is the only thing in this world that’s truly yours,” he would say—a value he instilled in his boys, Ryan, Neil, and Marc, and lived out daily.

Len had a servant’s heart, serving for many years as a church youth leader and later through his work and talents as a stationary engineer. He also volunteered on the electrical team for the Spirit West Coast Christian Music Festivals, something he looked forward to every year.

Len’s faith in his Savior gave him strength and joy, leaving a lasting impression even on the hospital staff who cared for him. During one visit, a nurse recognized him and said, “I remember you because of your faith!” In his final days, his excitement to meet Jesus was a testimony in itself.

Len loved his family dearly. He relished time with his brothers and sisters, passionately debating just about anything. He and Becky loved Disneyland and doing life together. While his boys could wear him out, he was proud of the men they became. And his grandchildren - perhaps most of all - brought him great joy. If he could’ve skipped kids and gone straight to grandkids, he would’ve.

Len is survived by his beloved wife Becky; sons Ryan Lewis (wife Vanessa), Neil David (wife Elena), and Marc William (wife Melissa); sister Geraldine May; brothers Charles Louis, Pat Alan, and Lee Roy; as well as his ten grandchildren (Frank, Justen, Alyssa, Jordan, Nickolaus, Anabella, Cahner, Caleb, Joshua, and Emma) and three great-grandchildren (Monroe, Margot, and Corban). Len’s parents, Carl Bates and Florence Schoonover, preceded him in death, along with his half-brothers Larry Anderson and Charles Bryan and half-sisters Glenna Bryan, Irene Bryan, and Jessie Bryan.

Len was known for his talkative nature and boundless energy - the biggest kid you’d ever meet. He could tell the same stories over and over with the same enthusiasm every time and was often reminded to act his age, even into his late 70s.

Len’s legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched through his kindness, wisdom, and unwavering integrity. Many of the kids he served as a youth leader still called him “Dad” until the day he passed. To quote one of his favorite Newsboys songs, “That day he bought those pine pajamas, he knew his check was good with God!” Len now worships at the feet of his Savior!

Len Alden Bates will be deeply missed but fondly remembered by all whose lives he enriched. Until we meet him again.

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