John Wayne Cates Obituary
With solemn hearts, we announce the passing of John Wayne Cates of Biloxi, Mississippi, whose presence will be deeply missed, having departed on May 17, 2025. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family.
As we bid John Wayne farewell, let us not mourn the absence of his physical form, but rather celebrate the essence of his spirit that lingers in the spaces between moments. For John Wayne is not truly gone, but merely transformed, his energy intertwined with the fabric of the universe itself, forever dancing among the stars.
He was predeceased by: his parents, Grace Grady Cates and Otis Cates; and his brother Otis J. Cates. He is survived by: his wife Gwen Tremmel Cates; his children, David Cates, Grant Schetzer (Jana), Tracy Lamey (Dennis) and Ryan Cates; and his sister Frances Penn (Ronnie). He is also survived by six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, John wished for donations to be made to St. Vincent DePaul Pharmacy.
