Randy Bates, owner of Arasapha Farms in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, has died

Randy Bates, the owner of Arasapha Farms in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, has died, his family said. He was 68 years old.

Bates was active in the community in Edgmont Township, Delaware County, and among haunted attraction operators. He died after a battle with cancer, Ben Bates, Randy's son, said.

In addition to haunted hayrides and the spooky Bates Motel at Halloween, the farm has a holiday tree farm and hosts weddings and events. The Bates Motel has been ranked among the top haunted attractions in the country.

The farm's annual car show is Sunday.

Bates served the community for more than two decades in various roles, including four years as a township supervisor and 10 years as emergency management coordinator, a post on Facebook says. Edgmont Township recognized Bates in June with a resolution of appreciation. 

Arasapha has been a working family farm since 1952, according to its website.

"Randy Bates was a great man who believed in family and helping others in many ways," the Haunted Attraction Association said in a post on Facebook. "The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride, which started in 1996, is the most famous way that thousands knew him, but his influence reached far beyond the family farm, Arasapha, which was named after his great, great grandmother."

Bates helped found multiple organizations related to haunted attractions and helped develop safety standards for hayrides and other activities, the post says. 

Ben Bates said his father built Arasapha Farms into a "destination." 

"We have people come from across the country," Ben Bates said. "We have them come from different countries. The things he's done for the haunt industry is just amazing."

With Randy gone, Ben Bates said his family's goal is to keep growing the farm and keep his father's legacy alive. 

"Our biggest goal with him not being here anymore is just to keep the farm going the way it was and keep progressing," Ben Bates said. "He's included us so much that we know how to progress. He's kind of letting us take the reins the last few years, so it's not going to be new for us to grow it and make it bigger."

"He's at peace now, and we're going to do a good send-off for him," he added.