John Steven Bates, April 14 1964 - July 15 2026.

John Steven Bates lived an adventurous and storied life, sometimes against his will. Many of his tales would be unbelievable if he didn’t have photographic evidence, and his family is incredibly grateful that John had the time and dedication to write four volumes of his personal history to leave behind as part of his legacy.

While born in Salt Lake City and adopted at birth, John had the opportunity as an adult to find and build relationships with his biological family. He joined the LDS church as a teenager and served in the Arkansas, Little Rock mission. In 1987, he was married to his wife Maria in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity. Together, they built a home where all were welcome and anyone could find shelter. John and Maria served an additional mission to the Promontory Point Branch at the Utah State Prison.

John proudly served and was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps. He continued his family legacy of Masonic Tradition, including serving as Master of the Acacia #17 and Salt Lake #17 Lodges, a Trustee of Salt Lake #17 Lodge, a Masonic Temple Association board member, and one of the last members of the Shrine Band.

John donated countless hours of volunteer work as a scoutmaster, Hunter Education instructor, chef, range officer, and museum docent. He had a lifelong passion for the symphony, opera, jazz, and rock & roll, and he spread that love to everyone in his life. He dedicated himself to learning and teaching, illustrated by the time he spent as a middle school substitute teacher for Granite, Jordan, and Salt Lake School Districts. John was an avid photographer, who worked as a Darkroom Technician and Product Expert for several studios. He built darkrooms for studios and schools to encourage the development of young artists. As a photographer for the Eastman Kodak University of Utah Documentary Team in Eastern Europe, John captured the fall of the Berlin Wall and shared that moment of history with the world.

He is preceded in death by his adoptive parents Gloria Jean Smith Bates and Fredrick George Bates, and by his biological parents Joyce Andreasen Pyper and Glen Harvey Kesler. He is survived by his wife Maria Eliisa Smith Bates, his children Elizabeth Bates, Light Bates, and James (Katherine) Bates, his siblings Wendy (Maria) Dart, Catherine Bates, Vint (Tamara) Pyper, Salinda “Scout” (James) Whetman, bonus mom Sandra Beth Kesler, and numerous nieces and nephews. He will be missed by friends, family, students, scouts, and the many others whose lives he touched.

A Viewing will be held from 6:00 - 8:00 pm on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at Larkin Mortuary, 260 E. South Temple, SLC. Graveside services will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 10:00am.

An after party Celebration of Life will be held at the Masonic Temple, 650 E. South Temple St, SLC, on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 6:00pm.

Come to the after party as he lived, a rebel ready to rock and roll.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to RiteCare of Utah (https://ritecareutah.org/) or The Other Side Academy (https://www.theothersideacademy.com/donate).