Christine Alberta Bates was born on June13, 1932 to Leatrice Bates and Israel Williams in Greensboro, Alabama. She went home to be with the Lord on September 1, 2024.

At an early age Christine moved to Akron, Ohio with her grandmother Sara Alice Bates. She attended Spicer Elementary where she attended special classes for the blind, Goodyear Junior High and graduated from East High School.  She also attend Akron University graduating from Hammel Actual Business College.

In the midst of singing with Ruby Romantics, she was employed by the US Air Force as a secretary in Dayton, Ohio at the Wright Patterson Base. She joined True Vine C.O.G.I.C. and became a lifetime member under the leadership of Elder CH Kirkland in 1960. She served as a member of the choir as a soloist, a Sunday school teacher, church superintendent and a part time secretary until her illness and relocation.

Christine also worked at Akron Towel Supply, Macy’s (formerly known as O’Neil’s), Goodwill Industries as a clerk, Akron Summit Community Action Agency as a community worker and organizer from 1965-1997.

Awhile her social interactions expelled from introductory resources to large protest for equal rights. All of this was done while she was going back to Akron U to study law.

Following retirement, she was still active socially. She served as a greeter for the Senior Program for the Junior Achievement Program and in the Foster Grandparents Program, because she went totally blind in 2015. Christine also served as an officer for the Akron Blind Center where she was a lifetime member and the Young at Heart and was active until 2023.

Christine was preceded in death by her parents, Leatrice Bates-Thomas and Israel Williams; grandmother, Sara Alice Bates; husband, Benjamin Kimbrough and stepfather, Joseph Thomas; and sisters, Irene, Katherine and Juanita all of Northport, Alabama.

She leaves to cherish her loving memory, daughter, Belita Bates “BABS”; son, Shawn Bates; brother, Elijah Thomas; grandsons, Christian Bates, Shawn Lewis, DeAndre, Desmond and Devin Bates; great grandchildren, London, Lela, Zaire, Ziyah and Zavier; and a host of other relatives and friends.