Funeral service was held Monday, March 1, 202 at Grace Church; interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Final arrangements were entrusted to Anderson-Ragsdale Mortuary.
Regina Faith Gates was born July 4, 1992, in San Diego, California to Bishop Reginald Gates & Peggy Yvonne Gates.
Regina accepted Christ at an early age under the leadership of her father Bishop Gates at Springhill Community Church. The family later joined Grace Church under the leadership of Pastor Zac Morrison. Regina attended Freeze Elementary, where at age nine, Regina’s eighteen-year battle began with Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Syndrome (PAPS)-a rare lung disease. Yet, she pressed her way through. She completed her secondary education at Keiller Middle, graduating from Lincoln High Class of 2010.
In April 2017, her son, the joy of her life arrived, Zaccai would prove to be her inspiration for pressing on. She completed her BA degree in 2019 from San Diego State University in Interdisciplinary Studies (Spanish, Rhetoric & Writing, and History).
Regina also was an avid baker. Birthdays were some of our family’s best days. We could always count on Regina to make the cake of our choice, ranging from her great-grandmother, Lorraine Arterberry-Sanford’s, famous carrot cake, pound cake, or red velvet cake, to her very own custom ice cream cake.
Did somebody say she was stubborn? Oh Yes! In October 2019 when medical professionals warned us to prepare for our final goodbyes, Regina said, “No, not yet.” God agreed and answered her prayers and on December 17, 2019 Regina was blessed with two new lungs from a successful double-lung transplant. We were blessed to be given another year with Regina. Unfortunately, the PAPS returned, and on February 9, 2021 while at home surrounded by family God called Regina to eternal rest.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents Johnny Lee Haynes and Dorothy Ann Sanford- Haynes, and Fred Spencer and Hattie Blanche-Spencer.
Left to cherish her legacy of love and precious memories are: her parents Bishop Reginald and Peggy Gates, Son Zaccai King Gates-Dillard and his father Deshaun Dillard, sister Renisha Gates, brothers Melvin Pradd, Marvin Pradd & David Gates; children she gained the title as surrogate mother, Amara Pradd, and Shamarion Haynes, lifelong friend Mia BellPinckney, a host of other nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, cousins, other relatives and friends.
