Robert L. Bates was born on July 29, 1930, and became deaf at age seven, stricken with scarlet fever. He enrolled at Indiana State School for the Deaf and graduated with academic honors. In 1955, he graduated from Gallaudet College with a B.A. degree in mathematics. Bates also did graduate work at American University and Evansville College.

He began his career in March 1955 as a mathematician with the Department of Navy in the Bureau of Aeronautics. Eventually, Bates became Chief of Scientific Programming Section. He was recognized as the project leader for several ADP systems. Bates was active in several organizations such as the Lions’ Club, the National Association for the Deaf, the Virginia Association for the Deaf, and the American Institute of Parliamentarians. He was one of the Outstanding Handicapped Federal Employees of the Year Award recipients given by the U.S. Civil Service Commission in 1973. He married Joan Macaluso, and they had four sons together. He passed away on March 4, 1996, at 65 in Rixeyville, Virginia.