Bobbie Bates Lev, 75, of Covington, passed away Oct. 20. She was born in Covington and, after graduating from Newton County High School in 1955, she moved to Atlanta where she married and raised her family. She returned to Covington in 2002. She retired from the Centers for Disease Control in 1996. Mrs. Lev was preceded in death by parents Laurie Curtis Bates and John Bates, her brother Joe Bates, cousin Janice Grizzard, nephew Michael Dunn and beloved granddaughter Samantha Lynn Armstrong.

Surviving are daughter Laurie Stanley and husband Alan of Atlanta; son Norman Allen Lev Jr. and wife Donalin of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter Samantha Nelson and husband Steve of Ashville; grandsons Khristoher Stanley of Atlanta and Cooper Nelson of Asheville; sister Peggy Dunn and fiancé George Croog of Duluth; sister-in-law Marjorie Bates of Greensboro; nieces Penny Prince, Crystal Mahalitc; nephews Robert Prince, Lee Bates, Lonnie Bates, Larry Bates; many cousins, great-nieces and nephews, friends, neighbors and her guardian angel Oral (Chris) Beckford.

A memorial service to celebrate her life was held Oct. 24 at Lester Lackey & Sons Funeral Home led by the Rev. Robert Prince.