Billy Shannon Bates lived life the only way he knew how – on his own terms, with creativity, grit, and a spark that couldn’t be dimmed.
Born Nov. 10, 1968, in Concordia, Kansas, to Janis (Fullerton) and Billy D. Bates, Billy grew up with a competitive spirit and a drive that showed early. He attended Crete Public Schools, graduating high school in 1987. He ran cross country, played football, and earned third place at the state wrestling tournament – never backing down from a challenge. After high school, he served in the United States Air Force, carrying that same determination into adulthood.
But Billy was never meant to live an ordinary life.
He was a veteran, an artist, a traveler, a storyteller. He created, explored, and chased possibilities – he graduated from Universal Technical Institute with a Commercial Art degree, modeled in Milan, Italy, and later moved to California to pursue acting, where he became a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild. Wherever he went, he made friends easily and left a lasting impression. He didn’t just see the world – he connected with it. His occupational pursuits included selling real estate in Belize and most recently managing the Yamashiro Restaurant in the Hollywood Hills and BOA in Santa Monica, California.
To his nephews and nieces, he was “Knuckle Bill,” a title worn with pride and affection. He shared with them the things he loved most – art, movies, comic books, fast cars, his classic truck, and the quiet fascination of rock tumbling and collecting crystals. He shared his passions and opened doors to curiosity, imagination, and wonder.
On Dec. 21, 2021, Billy was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. And like everything else in his life, he faced it head-on. For more than four years, he fought – not quietly, not passively, but with strength, stubbornness, and heart. It was a battle he met with courage every single day. He died peacefully in his childhood home surrounded by love on April 17, 2026.
Billy was preceded in death by his father, Billy D. Bates; his paternal grandparents, Samuel Bates, Eva (Chamberlain) and Toby Newcomb; his maternal grandparents, James and Jaunita (Miller) Fullerton; his aunts and uncles, Alfred and June Fullerton, James and Lesta Fullerton, Lonnie Bates, Roberta (Bates) Croft, Frank Newcomb, Rick Lynn, Fred Howlett and John Howlett.
He is survived by his mother, Janis (Fullerton) Howlett, and stepfather, William “Skeeter” Howlett; his siblings, Jamie (Suzanne) Bates, Tim (Linda) Bates, and Chelsea (Logan) Weideman; and his beloved nephews and nieces, Anthony (Katie) Bates, Dillon Bates, Jackson (Marisa) Bates, Griffin Bates, Cooper (Genna) Bates, Carson (Megan) Bates, Mollie Bates, and Jesse, Franklin, Will, and Henry Weideman, his great nieces and nephews, Scarlett, Caroline, Graham and Pierce Bates; aunts and uncles, Mary (Bates) Lynn, Mike Bates, Linda (Newcomb) Knox, Robin Howlett, Wayne and Marsha Howlett, Joyce Howlett, Greg and Ruth Luedtke, and many cousins.
Billy didn’t follow a script. He wrote his own – boldly, imperfectly, and unapologetically. And because of that, his life was anything but ordinary. He leaves behind stories, laughter, creativity, and a reminder to live fully, love deeply, and never be afraid to do things your own way.
A Celebration of Life for friends and family to gather will be at the VFW in Crete, from 9:30 – 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 25. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center – Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the hospice staff of AseraCare, the medical staffs at C.L. Werner Cancer Hospital, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and Crete Medical Center for the care they provided to Billy throughout his cancer journey.
Arrangements by Svoboda Funeral Home in Wahoo.
