Ella Jeanne Bates

On October 25, 2018 Ella Jeanne Bates walked from this existence into heaven, to the waiting arms of her husband Jay. Jeanne, to her longtime friends and family, and Ella to her new friends, left the loving arms of the staff of Spring Creek to join her forever companion, Jay, her sons Charles and Cary, her daughter Rhonda, her Father and Mother, her sister Betty, her brother Chuck, and numerous family and friends, for a celebration on her return home from earth.

Ella Jeanne, age 90, was born August 3, 1926 in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. She was the second child of Morgan and Effie Vedder. Ella went by the name of Jeanne for most of her life. She was named after her grandmother and to save confusion while growing up she used her middle name. Just recently she decided she wanted to honor her grandmother and use the name she was given so she changed back to Ella.

Growing up in Coeur d’ Alene, Ella Jeanne loved to visit her grandparents on their farm and help out where she could. She fondly remembered the time she spent there learning to cook and sew from her grandmother and her mother. In 1946 she met Jay Bates and after a short courtship they were married on January 4 ^th , 1947 at the home of her parents. Jeanne and Jay were blessed with 6 children Reed, Cary, Rhonda, Tawna, Charles, and Morgan. Family was everything to them. They loved their family and included many people as ‘sons or daughters’ through the years.

Jeanne loved her children, grandchildren, her great-grandchildren and was excited to meet her great, great-grandchild at the beginning of the New Year. She made them all at least one afghan to keep them warm. Her family members were not the only ones to receive an afghan. Many friends have one of her gifts keeping them warm. She will be greatly missed, thought of fondly and bring a smile to many as her influence is remembered.

A graveside service for Ella will be held Friday, November 2, 2018 at 12:00 Noon in the Rigby Pioneer Cemetery (4023 East 300 North, Rigby).