GREG GATES MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
ESTABLISHED
Panola
College is proud to announce the establishment of the Greg Gates Memorial Scholarship.
Gregory Allen
Gates was born December 22, 1959. He married Rhonda Carter on September 22, 1979, and
became the proud father of Mary Linn and Karen in January of 1983 and 1986.
Greg was a
1978 graduate of Carthage High School. He worked in gas field construction in the East
Texas area as well as in southwest Kansas. When asked by a fellow employee what his
hobbies were, his answer was spending time with his wife and girls. He was a very
dedicated husband and dad, putting the wants and needs of his family first. His other
hobbies included reading about and visiting historical places while on vacation or
traveling with his job. He also liked to spend time working with his horses.
Greg was a
member of Cedar Grove Baptist Church and always strived to live, as Christ would have him
to. He always tried to comfort others even while struggling himself, whether through the
trials of life or in the fight against cancer. He passed away February 3, 2003 of colon
cancer.
Greg never
had the opportunity to attend college, but always encouraged young people to further their
education. He wanted them to have the opportunities and experiences he never had the
pleasure of enjoying. Because of his influence, his wife and both of his daughters have
pursued a college education. Mary Linn graduated from Panola College in 2003 and is
currently attending Texas A&M. Karen has taken courses from Panola College and will
transfer to Texas A&M in the fall.
The Greg
Gates Memorial Scholarship was established through the generosity of a family friend
and the Exxonmobile Foundation and will be awarded annually to a deserving student. The selection and announcement naming the
recipient will be made in the spring each year.
Applicants should contact Van Patterson, Director of Institutional
Advancement at Panola College, (903) 693-2029.