Alpha Bates Roland

Alpha Bates Roland, 72, of the Pensacola Community, went home to be with the Lord Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at her home.  A native of Millstone, KY, she was a daughter of the late Maryland and Sarah Vanover Bates.  She was also preceded in death by her twin brother, Rudy Bates, and Allan Ray Bates. She and her husband, Ellis, were residents of Cleveland, Ohio and had been in Pensacola for the past year.  Alpha was a living miracle, having survived a brain aneurysm 21 years ago.  “She was a tough old bird.”
Surviving are her husband of 52 years:  Ellis D. Roland, Sr.; a son:  Ellis David Roland, Jr. and Billie of Cleveland; 2 daughters:  Elizabeth Annette Roland and John of Spruce Pine and Teresa Carol Roland of Cleveland; 7 grandchildren:  Shannon, Sarah, Kayla, Angelique, Malik, Andrew and Joshua; 11 great grandchildren; sisters:  Lula Carter of Wakeman, OH, Beaula Mason of Grafton, OH, Ailene Nunley of Lexington, KY, Emily Bates of Wellington, OH and Carol Fay Griffith of Wakeman; and, 2 brothers:  Joe Bates of Harvey, LA and David Wayne Bates of Strongsville, OH.
Funeral services will be held at 2PM Saturday, January 27, 2018,  in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home.  Reverend Randall Robinson will officiate.  Burial will be in the Lake Roland Family Cemetery.
The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.