Dortha Bates

Dortha "Jean" Harney Bates, 87, was born in Cambridge, Idaho on November 7, 1930 and passed away in Moses Lake, WA on December 27, 2017. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Josephine Harney, siblings Robert Harney and Richard Harney, husband Karl Bates, and sons Dan Bates and John Bates. Having spent many of her early years in an orphanage in Jolliette, Illinois, Jean had a definite idea of what a loving home and Family life should be, so when she met Karl Bates, her brother's friend, she quit her waitressing job and committed to being the best wife/helpmate/mother she could be. She and Karl married on December 26, 1950. They had three sons; Dan, John, and Joe. In 1968, the family moved to Sunnyside, WA, where Karl managed the Albers Feed Store until his retirement in 1985. The family also worked a 10 acre farm in Sunnyside, with Jean often taking care of the farm chores, while Karl was at work and the boys at school. She was a skilled seamstress, a warm, gifted hostess, a great cook, and a great friend and mother. She and Karl also made some time for playing away from the farm, and enjoyed traveling and the entire RV life. In 1993, Jean and Karl moved to Yakima, where they lived until 2015 when they moved to Soap Lake, WA. Jean is survived by her sister, Marlene Folkman, son, Joe Bates, daughter (in law) Barbara, grandsons and their wives, Adam (Bre) Bates, Zachary (Christie) Bates, Matthew (Melinda) Bates, and Casey Bates, great grand daughters Zoe Bates and Katie Bates. Funeral Services will be 11:00 am, Friday, January 5, 2018 at Valley Hills Funeral Home Chapel (2600 Business Ln., Yakima) burial will follow at Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dortha Bates, please visit our flower store.