Roy T. "Ikey" Cates, was born in Hopkins County Mar. 8, 1941, to Roy William Cates and Bessie Mae Wiley Cates. He died on Fri., Jan. 17, 2014, at Baptist Health Systems in Madisonville at age 72. Services were Mon., Jan. 20, 2014, at Tomblinson Slaughters-Hanson Chapel. Bro. Steve Terry officiated. Visitation was Sun. Jan. 19 and Monday.

He served in the U.S. Air Force, a Vietnam vet and held membership in Am. Legion Post 6 in Madisonville; the Hanson Lions Club and was a Kentucky Colonel. Ikey attended Pritchett’s Chapel Church, and had retired from Caney Creek Coal as well as Hopkins County Public Works.
                                                                                                                                                                                  Ikey and wife Brenda lived in Hanson, KY, with family near-by. He had four married children: T-Roy (Troy) Cates, Jason Cates, Farrah Thornton and Ricky Cates. Two sons in Hanson, and Ricky and wife Paula live in Lanesville, Indiana. Daughter Farrah and husband Wes live in Lexington. Two sisters, Maryann (Wayne) Dorris in Clay; Gladys (Tony) Fox in Madisonville. There are seven grand kids and two great grandchildren.
His parents, two sisters and a brother preceded him in death: Lena Jones; Nora Edith DeVylder and Paul M. Cates.
                                                                                                                                                                                           Burial was at Kentucky Veteran’s Cemetery West in Hopkinsville, KY, held at a later date.                                 Full military rites were conducted at the funeral home.