Thelma Louise Bates

MRS. THELMA LOUISE BATES Thelma L. Bates, 82 a Bartlesville resident at Tallgrass Estates, went to be with her Lord and Savior Wednesday, June 13th at St. Francis Hospital at 3:24 am due to heart complications. Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday, June 18, 2012 at the First Church of the Nazarene Bartlesville, OK with Pastor Dan Dennison and Rev. Rene Colaw officiating. Interment Will be in Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory of Bartlesville. Memorials may be made to the First Church of the Nazarene, 3650 S. E. Adams Blvd., Bartlesville, OK 74006. Thelma Louise Butler was born on November 5, 1929 in Amarillo, TX to Thomas Earl and Carrie Mathilda Butler. She was raised and received her education in Bartlesville graduating from College High in 1947. Growing up she also lived in various other places including Quinton and Henryetta, OK. Thelma married Herbert Brady Bates on June 30, 1947 in Sedan, Kansas. They had four children: Phillip Lee Bates, Thomas Brady Bates, Kevin Michael Bates and Leslie Louise Bates McGahey. In addition to raising her family, she worked as a teacher's aide at Lincoln Elementary School and also at Phillips Petroleum Company. She remained connected to her high school classmates from the class of 1947 by joining them for lunch at Golden Corral on a regular basis. She was an active member of the Nazarene Church throughout her life teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, going on NIROGA and other trips with senior groups and serving in various other areas. Thelma and Brady led the family as Christian role models and Thelma continued after her husband Brady passed away in 1993. She was a wonderful, devoted wife and mother, sister, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt, neighbor and friend. Thelma loved to travel and made numerous trips with her children and grandchildren to Branson, MO, Colorado, Gatlinburg, TN and New Orleans, LA. Thelma loved music - especially southern gospel Gaither style and loved going to shows in Branson, MO. Thelma is survived by one sister Patricia Kane and her husband Jack of Colleyville, TX and one brother Jay Butler and his wife Linda of Stillwater, OK, her children Phil Bates and his wife Barbara of Bartlesville along with their children Chad Bates of Farmington, CT and Jessie Bates Wilson and her husband Tyler Wilson of Yukon, OK, Dusty Bates of Bartlesville, Tommy Bates and his wife Richenda of Oklahoma City and their children, Bethany Bates of Branson, MO and Cassady Bates of OKC, Kevin Bates and his wife Denise of Bartlesville and their children Andrew and Matt Harry and Mecca Harry Freeman and her husband Ron Freeman and their children Luke, Kyle and Emma, Leslie Bates McGahey and her husband Emitte McGahey of Ardmore, OK and their children Noah and Logan Townley also of Ardmore, OK. She is also survived by nieces Gaye Lyn Kotrany and Kris Renee Johnson of N Richland Hills, TX, Stacy Ann Kroeger of Keller, TX, Kelli J Butler, and Ashley Jae Butler of Stillwater, OK and several cousins. Thelma was preceded in death by her husband Brady Bates, a brother Ernie Butler and her parents Thomas Earl and Carrie Mathilda Butler. PDF Printable Version

Thelma Louise Bates

November 5, 1929 - June 13, 2012