~ IN MEMORY ~
USAF veteran, DL Capt. James R. Gatz
January 16, 1942 ~ October 22, 2026
Just 31 days later he asked her, "How 'bout you marry me?" Connie said yes..................
James Robert "Gates" Gatz joined Delta Air Lines 10-18-1976 and retired with Delta in 2002. He is survived by his wife Connie, and by his daughter-in-law and his grandchildren.
Services will be held at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Fairhope, Alabama on November 12th....please see obituary below for details.
PCN memorial site
James Gatz Obituary
James Robert Gatz, known to nearly everyone as "Gates", lived a full and remarkable life defined by family, service, hard work, and a lifelong sense of adventure.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Robert and Helen Gatz, Gates was the oldest of three sons. He graduated from Shorewood High School in 1960, where he was an accomplished track athlete and held the state record in the 880-yard run for several years. His success earned him a track scholarship to Marquette University, where he graduated in 1965.
At his father's suggestion, Gates took a flying lesson and was immediately hooked. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1966 and became a C-130 Pilot, flying west around the world three times and serving two tours in Vietnam.
While attending Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, Gates met Connie Collett over Thanksgiving weekend in 1971. The connection was immediate. Just 31 days later he asked her, "How 'bout you marry me?" Connie said yes, and they were married in May 1972. After living in Newport News, Virginia, Gates and Connie made their home in Montgomery, where they adopted their son, Robert Brent.
Gates joined Delta Air Lines in 1976 and retired in 2002 as a Boeing 767 Captain. But flying was hardly his only pursuit. Along the way, he flew with Maxwell Air Force Reserve, managed a cattle farm, and earned his law degree from Jones Law School in Montgomery. Though he never practiced law, he liked to joke that law school was a good way to make sure his brain was still functioning.
In 2012, Gates and Connie moved to Fairhope, Alabama, a place he loved and where he made many friends.
As accomplished as Gates was, those closest to him remember him most for his character. He was a man of integrity, generosity, faith, and loyalty. If Gates said he was going to do something, he did it. He quietly helped others, stood beside his friends when they needed him, and deeply loved his family, especially his grandchildren.
Gates passed away on October 22, 2026, at his home in Fairhope, Alabama.
He is survived by his loving wife, Connie; his daughter-in-law, Jessica Stanfield; his grandchildren, Robert and Elizabeth Gatz; brothers, Tom and Mike Gatz; and many cherished friends whose lives were enriched by his friendship.
Funeral services will be held at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 370 S. Section Street, Fairhope, AL, on Thursday, November 12, 2026. There will be a time of visitation beginning at 10AM, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11AM. Interment will follow at the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spanish Fort, AL.
Those wishing to honor Gates may consider a donation in his memory to a charity of your choice.
Hughes Funeral Home, 26209 Pollard Road, Daphne, AL, is assisting the family. Online expressions of condolences for the family may be made at www.hughesfh.com
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Robert and Helen Gatz, Gates was the oldest of three sons. He graduated from Shorewood High School in 1960, where he was an accomplished track athlete and held the state record in the 880-yard run for several years. His success earned him a track scholarship to Marquette University, where he graduated in 1965.
At his father's suggestion, Gates took a flying lesson and was immediately hooked. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1966 and became a C-130 Pilot, flying west around the world three times and serving two tours in Vietnam.
While attending Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, Gates met Connie Collett over Thanksgiving weekend in 1971. The connection was immediate. Just 31 days later he asked her, "How 'bout you marry me?" Connie said yes, and they were married in May 1972. After living in Newport News, Virginia, Gates and Connie made their home in Montgomery, where they adopted their son, Robert Brent.
Gates joined Delta Air Lines in 1976 and retired in 2002 as a Boeing 767 Captain. But flying was hardly his only pursuit. Along the way, he flew with Maxwell Air Force Reserve, managed a cattle farm, and earned his law degree from Jones Law School in Montgomery. Though he never practiced law, he liked to joke that law school was a good way to make sure his brain was still functioning.
In 2012, Gates and Connie moved to Fairhope, Alabama, a place he loved and where he made many friends.
As accomplished as Gates was, those closest to him remember him most for his character. He was a man of integrity, generosity, faith, and loyalty. If Gates said he was going to do something, he did it. He quietly helped others, stood beside his friends when they needed him, and deeply loved his family, especially his grandchildren.
Gates passed away on October 22, 2026, at his home in Fairhope, Alabama.
He is survived by his loving wife, Connie; his daughter-in-law, Jessica Stanfield; his grandchildren, Robert and Elizabeth Gatz; brothers, Tom and Mike Gatz; and many cherished friends whose lives were enriched by his friendship.
Funeral services will be held at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 370 S. Section Street, Fairhope, AL, on Thursday, November 12, 2026. There will be a time of visitation beginning at 10AM, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11AM. Interment will follow at the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spanish Fort, AL.
Those wishing to honor Gates may consider a donation in his memory to a charity of your choice.
Hughes Funeral Home, 26209 Pollard Road, Daphne, AL, is assisting the family. Online expressions of condolences for the family may be made at www.hughesfh.com
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