Jean Barfuss

Jean (Hoff) Bates Barfuss Jean’s life on earth was completed Thursday, January 30, 2014 after experiencing a stroke a week prior. She was born September 26, 1926 in Portland, Oregon, to George and Mollie Mailling Hoff and at the age of four moved to Granger with her family, later moving to the Outlook and Sunnyside area where she graduated high school with the class of 1944. In March of 1946, Noah and Jean Bates started their life together. They were married for 51 years before Noah passed from complications of Parkinson’s. Together they raised two sons, Richard and Roger. Although, Jean worked at the Pacific Coast Nursery along side Noah and the boys, her own career was managing the Slettens Department Store in Sunnyside. Anyone who knew Jean, knows how she was always dressed well, makeup on, and purse in hand ready to go and celebrate life. Later, Jean met a wonderful man who had just lost his wife. Grant and Jean were married with their families surrounding them in Reno, Nevada and enjoyed life together for 10 years. Jean was known for being a caregiver and that she did with charm, compassion and lots of wit. For the last six years, her companion, Ernest Coder, has kept her smiling and content. He was her life energy. We will always be thankful for him and his daughter, Pam, for the care and support they gave. In memory of our dear Mom, we will miss her loving spirit, the smile with a twinkle in her eye, her godliness, her devotion to friends and loved ones. We are thankful for the 87 years she lived and the opportunity to say goodbye at the Cottage in the Meadows. She is definitely at peace now. Jean was preceded in death by both parents, two sisters and two grandsons. She is survied by sons Richard (Ann) Bates of Tucson AZ and Roger (Jan) Bates of Yakima WA; six grandchildren, Justin (Ruth) Bates, Sheridan Bates, Morgan (Jason) Tennant, Jarrod Bates, Melissa Brewer and Amy Sydney Brewer; and seven great-grandchildren, Noah, Gwendalyn, Jacob, Keanen, Mikel, Jesse and Gracee. A graveside memorial will be held Wednesday, February 5th at 11:00 a.m. at the Lower Valley Memorial Gardens in Sunnyside WA. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jean Barfuss, please visit our flower store.