Charles L. Bateman, Jr.

Charles L. Bateman, Jr., 54, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, passed away on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.

A native of Burlington, North Carolina, Charles attended Walter M. Williams High School (Class of 1982) and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Class of 1989).  He went on to attend Fordham University School of Law in New York, and upon graduation in 2002, he entered private practice, working with notable Manhattan law firms Coudert Brothers, LLP and Dickstein Shapiro LLP during his career. In 2011, Charles returned to North Carolina to work with his father at the Bateman Law Office in Burlington.

Charles was a lifelong Tarheels basketball fan, and he took great pleasure in every team victory, particularly those over Duke, his dad’s alma mater, which, due to a long-standing friendly wager, resulted in his dad wearing a Carolina tie to the office on more than one occasion (and Charles sporting a Duke tie every so often). He was also a huge fan of Elvis Presley, and he loved to travel. He enjoyed ski trips out west, his annual golf trips with friends, and most recently, a trip to China with his fiancé. He loved his family, especially his nieces and nephews, and he looked forward to his family’s “beach weeks” each year. Charles was also blessed with a close group of friends who loved him like a brother. His family and friends will always remember him for his dry sense of humor, his quick wit, and his passionate joy for life.

Charles is survived by his father, Charles Bateman, Sr., and step-mother, Nancy Bateman, of Ocean Isle Beach, NC; his step-father, John Lewis, of Burlington, NC; his sister, Susan Ingram and husband Rick, niece Morgan, and nephew Gray, of Jacksonville, FL; his brother, John Bateman and wife Eva, nephew Jack, and niece Clark, of Greenville, SC, and his sister, Charlotte Anderson and husband Eddie, of Jupiter, FL; step-siblings, John Lewis, Jr. and wife Beverly of Coral Springs, FL, Mark Lewis and wife LeAnn of Nashville, TN, Kimberly Brooks and husband CWO Mike, USM Retired, Marilyn Allison and husband Derek of Oceanside, CA, Roger Lewis and wife Robbie of Nashville, TN and Leslie and Mark Forsley of Nashville, TN; and 13 step-nieces and nephews.   In addition to his family, he is survived by his fiancé, Yan Ling Lu, and her daughter, Joyce, of Wuhan, China. He was preceded in death by his mother, Nancy Lewis, his paternal grandparents, Dallas and Sadie Bateman, and his maternal grandparents, Walter and Helen Bain.

Family and friends are invited to visit and celebrate Charles’ life on Saturday, January 12, from 4-6 pm, at Rich & Thompson Funeral and Cremation Service in Burlington, NC.  

Memorial donations may be made in Charles’ memory to the charity of your choice.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Charles L. Bateman, Jr., please visit our floral store.