The Edgmont Township community is mourning the loss of Randy Bates, a longtime Edgmont resident, business owner, volunteer, community leader and friend to gen- erations of local families. Randy passed away on August 8, 2026, following an illness. His passing leaves a tremendous void in the community he served for decades, but his legacy will continue through his family, Arasapha Farm and the countless people whose lives he touched through his commitment to Edgmont Township.
Randy was recently honored by the Edgmont Township Board of Supervisors for more than 24 years of service to the township. On June 9, 2026, the Board approved Resolution No. 21 of 2026, recognizing his many contributions. His public service included 10 years as Edgmont Township’s Emergency Management Coordinator, 12 years on the Planning Commission and four years as an elected Township Supervisor. He also spent 25 years volunteering with the Edgmont Fire Company.
For Randy, serving Edgmont was never simply about holding a position or receiving recognition. It was a continuation of the example set by his parents and a reflection of the deep connection he had with the township where he was born and raised.
Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors had the pleasure of featuring Randy and Anne Bates three years ago. Randy was more than happy to share his story and his love for his family and his hometown. Today, we will share some of his words as we gather to remember a true community leader.
Randy grew up in Edgmont with his parents and two sisters. His mother had always dreamed of owning a farm after graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in farming. His father was an engineer who was also deeply involved in Edgmont Township, serving as an elected Supervisor and on various planning commissions. In 1952, the family had the opportunity to purchase the farm that would become Arasapha Farm.
“My parents learned there was an opportunity to purchase the farm,” Randy recalled. “So, in 1952, my mother’s dream became a reality.” His mother named the property Arasapha after her great-grandfather, Abraham Blakeley’s Arasapha Textile Mill in Chester. The farm would eventually become much more than a family home and business. It became a gathering place for the community and a legacy Randy would spend his life helping to build and preserve.
Randy spent his youth working on the farm before attending York College, where he earned a degree in Criminal Justice. It was there that he met Anne, who was studying to become a nurse. The couple married in 1979 and initially settled in Delaware, where they began raising their family.
Everything changed in 1982 when Randy’s father passed away. His mother needed help running the farm, and Randy and Anne made the decision to return to Edgmont. “My mother asked us if we would be willing to relocate and move in with her,” Randy remembered. “Anne and I had two young children at that point, and my sisters were still living with my mom, so Anne and I built a home of our own on the farm.” Randy took over managing the farm operations, beginning a new chapter that would ultimately span more than four decades.
Along the way, Randy became a familiar and trusted face throughout Edgmont. His service to the township extended well beyond his elected and appointed positions. His 25 years with the Edgmont Fire Company reflected his willingness to be there when his neighbors needed him most. Through emergency management, the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors, he helped guide the township through growth and change while maintaining a strong appreciation for the open space and hometown character that made Edgmont special.
Randy was especially proud of the cooperative relationship between township officials, volunteers, staff and residents. When Edgmont Township brought back its annual Community Day, the Bates family offered Arasapha Farm as the location. Hundreds of families gathered at the farm to enjoy activities, food, local vendors and opportunities to meet the community’s first responders.
“The folks with Edgmont Township worked so well with our community to ensure that as we grew, we were still able to preserve plenty of open space and maintain that hometown feeling that made it such a special place to live,” Randy said.
That desire to preserve Edgmont’s sense of community was evident in everything Randy did. He understood that a strong community was built not only through government decisions, but through neighbors helping neighbors, families opening their doors and businesses creating places where people could gather.
Arasapha Farm became one of those places. Under Randy and Anne’s leadership, the 80-acre property grew into a year-round destination. The Bates family operated a Christmas tree choose-and-cut business, seasonal activities, a Harvest Hayride and the nationally recognized Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride. Their haunted attractions became particularly well known throughout the country, placing Randy and his family within a national community of haunted attraction owners and creators.
In 2023, the Bates family hosted the annual meeting of America Haunts, an organization representing owners of some of the largest haunted attractions in the country. Randy and his team had the entire Halloween experience operating for the gathering, giving fellow haunted attraction professionals an opportunity to experience the Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride firsthand.
“We managed over 25,000 Christmas trees and started preparations for our haunted Halloween festivities months in advance,” Randy explained at the time. He also noted that hosting the America Haunts group had required a tremendous amount of work, but gave the Bates team an opportunity to showcase what made their attractions unique. “It was a lot of hard work, but everyone who attended got to see just how thrilling the Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride were.”
For those in the haunted attraction community, Randy was more than the owner of a successful attraction. He was part of a close-knit national network of professionals who shared his passion for creating memorable experiences. The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride became a destination for Halloween enthusiasts from throughout the region and beyond, and Randy’s influence reached far beyond the borders of Edgmont.
Yet, for all of the success and recognition surrounding Arasapha Farm, Randy’s greatest source of pride was his family. He and Anne raised six children, and the farm became a place where their children and, eventually, their 19 grandchildren could learn the value of hard work and responsibility. Randy took great pride in seeing the next generation become part of the family business. “Over the years, all of our kids had been helping on the farm in one way or another,” he said. “Anne and I were proud of the life we had built here and the legacy we were creating for our family.”
His children remember that legacy not simply as a successful family business, but as a lesson in how to live.
Randy’s oldest son, Drew, said, “My dad taught me that hard work was about more than just getting the job done—it was about working smart, doing things right the first time, treating people right and taking pride in everything. What I admired most was that he always did right by people. That’s a legacy that will live on through all of us.”
Angela credited her parents with teaching her the importance of giving back. “I learned from my incredible parents how to generously and selflessly give to the community whether it be time, donations, guidance, advertisement, promotions, hospitality or just plain kindness.”
Randy’s son Ben remembered growing up on the farm as an experience that shaped him for life. “Growing up on the farm was such a great experience for me. I learned the value of hard work, dedication and the true meaning of family. I am so glad that my wife Nicole and I can raise our children the same way.”
Veronica shared that same appreciation for the lessons Randy and Anne instilled in their children. “My parents are the most generous people that I know. Growing up on the farm came with chores and responsibility. The values and work ethic instilled in me at a young age, I have carried through my life and passed them on to my own children.”
Katie spoke about the importance of preserving Arasapha Farm for future generations. “Due to the hard work and dedication of my parents, Randy and Anne Bates, the community has been provided with the hope that it will forever remain in the family as Arasapha Farm, the place which offers so many activities to the Tri-state community all year long.”
And Diana reflected on the broader example her parents had provided. “To say it has been inspirational to watch my parents lead a life of success, happiness and love of family is an understatement. I couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments and grateful for the opportunities they have given us.”
Those words offer a fitting tribute to Randy Bates. His life was defined by hard work, family, service and a deep love for the place he called home. He helped protect Edgmont’s character through his years of township service, responded to the needs of his neighbors as a volunteer firefighter and emergency management leader and helped create a destination that brought families together year after year.
Randy once said that living in Edgmont had truly been a gift. His life demonstrated just how seriously he took that gift. He gave his time, energy and talents back to the community he loved, while building a family business that became part of the fabric of the region and the larger national haunted attraction community.
Today, the lights at Arasapha Farm will carry memories of a man who devoted his life to making the farm, his family and his community stronger. His children and grandchildren will carry forward the values he taught them, while generations of Edgmont residents will remember Randy not only for the positions he held, but for the person he was.
Services for Randy took place on Saturday, August 15th, on the farm. The procession was led by a police escort, followed by Edgmont Township fire
company engines. Randy’s family was greeted by over 500 people, many of whom had traveled across the country to pay their respects. “My Dad was carried by his six children, surrounded by his 19 grandchildren and my Mom to follow,” Veronica said. “The eulogy was spoken by my sister,
Katie Minacci, and the service was by Pastor Haus Piaseki. As the service concluded, bagpipes played Amazing Grace, followed by a cannon salute, loud and proud, as my dad would want!”
The Bates family has spent more than 70 years making Arasapha Farm a place where people could gather, celebrate and make memories. Randy’s own legacy is woven into every corner of that property and into the community he served for so many years. His impact will continue through his family, through the farm and through the many people across Edgmont and the nation who knew his work.
Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors extends its deepest condolences to Anne, their six children, 19 grandchildren and the entire Bates family. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to share Randy’s story with our readers and to recognize his remarkable service to our community. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.