LINCOLNTON -- Mrs. Frances Williams Gates, age 84, of 719 Battleground Road in Lincolnton, died on Monday, February 16, 2009.

Her funeral service will be held at 3:00pm on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 in the Warlick Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Jim Morrison and Rev. Larry Chapman officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:30pm until 2:45 pm Wednesday prior to the service at the funeral home.

Mrs. Gates was born on January 27, 1925 in Lincoln County to the late John T. and Learie E. Hester Williams. She was a fabricator in the textile industry. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jimmy Gates.

Survivors include a son, Wesley Gates of Lincolnton; daughters Patricia Ballard, Lorenza Prather and Angela Dover, all of Lincolnton; two brothers Lester Williams of Cherryville and Malcom Williams of Lincolnton; five grandchildren Tammy Ballard, John Ballard, Scott Prather, Kelly Prather, and Emily Gates; three great-grandchildren; and special nieces Deanna McGinnis and Carolyn Bumgarner.

Memorials may be made to South River Baptist Church.

Warlick Funeral Home is serving the Gates family.