Ralph E. Bates, a retired vice president of RCA, died Thursday in the Hospice of the North Shore in Evanston Hospital. He was 88 and had lived in Evanston for 25 years. Born in Normal, Ill., Mr. Bates graduated from Illinois State University and earned his master’s degree in physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was a communications officer in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. Mr. Bates’ career with RCA began with a sales job in Chicago after World War II. He progressed in management ranks and in the mid-1950s moved to RCA’s New York headquarters. There, he was promoted to vice president, working in RCA’s international distribution. When he returned to the Chicago area after his retirement, he devoted many volunteer hours to the Service Corps of Retired Executives and received many awards for that work. Mr. Bates is survived by his wife, Margaret “Porgie”; his son, Mark; three grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Visitation will from 9:30 to 10 a.m. Monday in Sts. Faith, Hope & Charity Church, 191 Linden St., Winnetka, followed by a 10 a.m. mass in the church.
