Rebecca Wilkie Gates, also referred to as Becky Gates, is the wife of Robert M. Gates, whom she married on January 7, 1967. She holds a Master's degree in education from Indiana University (1967). Her career focused on higher education administration, including roles as an admissions consultant at the founding of Federal City College (later part of the University of the District of Columbia) and as Assistant Director at American University in Washington, DC. In philanthropy, she is the namesake of the Becky Gates Children's Center at Texas A&M University, opened in 1998 to provide childcare for students and employees and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023. Along with her husband, she committed $1.5 million in 2013 to support Texas A&M University initiatives, including the Children's Center. The couple has two children: Eleanor Gates and Bradley Gates.