Passion for travel and boating
DANVERS — Sydney Burgess Gates passed away peacefully at the Care One Nursing Home in Wilmington on March 2 at the age of 87. Syd was born in Danvers on January 6, 1937 to the late Carl P. and Alice (Burgess) Gates. He was raised in Danvers, graduated from Holton High School in Danvers and was a star player on the 1955 Championship Basketball Team. Syd attended UMass and graduated from New England School of Arts and Sciences in Boston with his funeral director’s and embalmers license. While living in Danvers, he met his wife Betty and started a family. He enjoyed raising his children and taking his 17-foot Boston Whaler fishing on the Danvers River fishing and taking in the local sights.
Mr. Gates started his career at Landergan Funeral Home in Lynn before moving to the McDonald Funeral Home in Wakefield. Syd became a great addition to the Wakefield community and the McDonald family.
Syd worked side by side with his good friend Mike Nardelli in Wakefield for many years sharing the work of a funeral director with the McDonald Family in Wakefield. After his career of over 20 years at McDonald Funeral Home, Syd started working at Gately Funeral Home in 1981 after the tragic death of John H. Gately. He was always a kind and compassionate funeral director to the Melrose community, Mary J. Gately and Gately Family. He has always been well respected and still asked for over the past many years after his retirement.
Mr. Gates had a passion for travel, taking cruises and trips to Rome, Greece, Spain, Turkey and was able to land a huge sailfish in Cabo St. Lucas on one of his trips. Syd enjoyed spending time boating in Laconia on Lake Winnipesaukee and spending time in Marco Island close to his good friends Bill and Ruth McDonald. Syd has always remained very close to all the McDonald family members over the years.
The Gately family, funeral directors and staff will always hold Syd near and dear to our hearts and remember all the funny stories and great times spent with Syd.
He was the father of Paul Gates and Lisa Bigger. Grandfather of three and brother to the late Carl P. Gates and his late wife Norma; and the late Dwight Gates and his wife Sandy of ME. Dear friend of Ruth McDonald and her late husband Bill and their families, especially Maureen Duffy who always checked in on him; the late Mike Nardelli and his family; Fred and Nancy Sprague and family; and all of the Gately Family and staff at the Gately Funeral Home. Syd also had a dear friend Eileen Shea in Melrose who was a great caregiver while he was living at the Fuller House.
Visitation will be held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St., Melrose on Monday, March 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. with a service at 6 p.m. The burial will be private. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. To send a message of condolence, please visit gatelyfh.com.