John Walter Gates was born February 11, 1929, in Green Turtle Cay, Abaco to Carl Adolph Gates (1909-1981) and Inez Louise Lowe (1910-1969).

Her siblings included…

• Laddie Curtis  (1932)
• Alice Maude (1935)
• Lambert Carl (1938)

On December 17, 1948, in Grand Bahama, John married Thelma Belle Collins (1930-2019) from Nassau, New Providence. She is the daughter of Anthony Roy Collins (1904-1989) and Olive Belle Albury (1910-1966). The couple separated around 1950.

Their children included…

• Valerie

John later married Pamela V Donna from London, England.

Their children included…

• Athena
• John Walter Jr.

John later married Brenda Victoria Kelly (1945-2000) from New York City, New York.

Their children included…

• Jeremy

John was a master mariner and Nassau’s top Harbour Pilot. He was the only mariner that new Morse Code during his tenure. He owned a 68′ power cruiser called Island Nomad.

Alton R. Lowe recalls..

John studied at a university in Canada. After graduation, R. J. Reynolds hired him to captain The Aries, the largest sailing yacht in the world at that time. His travels carried John all over the world. This particular photo was taken in France. In John’s later years, he became a Harbour Pilot in Nassau. John also had his own aircraft and would fly to Abaco to see my father frequently.

John Walter Gates passed away August 4, 1984 (age 55) in Nassau, New Providence and is buried at the Ebenezer Methodist Church Cemetery. He is my 3rd cousin 1 time removed.