Following a valiant battle with cancer, Jefferson Blakley Bates, II passed away October 21, 2019 at his home with his loving wife Millisa Marcengill Bates and his children.

The son of Joseph McCord Bates, Jr. and Annie Coleman Bates, Jefferson was born September 7, 1971 in Charleston, SC. He grew up in Irmo where he graduated from Irmo High School in 1990. At Irmo, he was a varsity letterman in football, basketball and soccer. As quarterback in 1990, he was two-time team captain, two-time MVP, All-state, two-time All-region and selected as the starting quarterback for the SC Shrine Bowl. During his senior year, he made SuperPrep pre-season all-American, SuperPrep 2nd Team Mid-Atlantic, Max Emfinger #5 Nationally Ranked quarterback, Prep Football Report All-Atlantic Coast team, and The Sporting News Best of the Blue Chips. Recruited by Florida State, LSU, Georgia Tech and University of Iowa, Jefferson chose Iowa based on their winning tradition and head coach Hayden Fry. He was a four-year letterman and was fortunate to experience The Rose, Alamo, Holiday and Sun Bowls.

He continued his love of sports with his children. He enjoyed coaching kids in the Palmetto Baseball League, The Columbia Youth Basketball League, Upward Basketball and Pop Warner Football.

Also, Jefferson shared his love of the outdoors with his children, family and friends at Big Swamp Plantation near Pamplico. Many hours were spent hunting, fishing, working and enjoying outdoor life. He was very proud of the Quality Deer Management Program that he implemented in 1996 and his restoration of the AP Farms duck pond in 2014.

He was also a successful business owner of The Bay Company for 15 years. Jefferson was passionate and intense about his interests and his relationships, always giving "Maximum Effort". We will miss his large presence in our lives.

In addition to his wife, Millie, and his parents, he is survived by his children, Jefferson Blakely Bates III, Benjamin Carew Bates, and Millisa Arden Bates; his brothers – Joseph McCord Bates III of Irmo and Coleman Liston Bates (Kayce) of Mt. Pleasant, many nieces and nephews; aunts, uncles and loving cousins.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents – Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McCord Bates of Wateree and Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Atwell Coleman of Pamplico and his beloved nephew and namesake, Jefferson Brody Bates of Mt. Pleasant.

Jefferson and his family are members of Shandon Presbyterian Church.

A service to celebrate Jefferson's life will be held Thursday, October 24 at The Arnold Farm, 100 Arnold Road, Eastover, SC at 2pm. Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Brody Bates Foundation, c/o Coleman Bates, 656 Gate Post Drive, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
Online donations can be made to the Jefferson Bates Memorial https://bit.ly/2qB3qjQ
Donations will be used to spread Jefferson and Brody's love to help others.