Anna Bates

Anna Bates, 96 of Aberdeen and formerly of Waubay died on Saturday, April 5, 2014 at Mother Joseph Manor in Aberdeen. Memorial services will be at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, April 12, 2014 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Waubay. Rev. Janet Miller will officiate. Fiksdal Funeral Service of Webster is in charge of the arrangements. Fiksdalfuneral.com. Anna Sigmar Grinley was born in Portland, ND December 13, 1917, the youngest child of Bendeck B. and Andrine L. (Skarperud) Grinley. She was baptized and confirmed at Bruflat Lutheran Church in Portland, ND and attended school there, graduating in 1936. She then attended Mayville State Teachers College and also St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. In 1940 she graduated from Franklin Vocational School in Minneapolis as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She worked at St. Ansgar Hospital in Moorhead, MN and also the Ashland (WI) General Hospital. After the US entered the war, Ann moved to California and joined the thousands of women supporting the war effort by working at Lockheed Aircraft, first as a riveter building P-38s and then as a clerical worker in the Lockheed headquarters. Ann married Arlo W. Bates December 30th, 1944 in Los Angeles. They lived in North Hollywood, CA, where they had their first four children. In 1952 they moved to Webster, SD and then to Waubay, SD where two more children were born. After her husband’s death in 1970, Ann worked for many years at Bain’s in Webster, SD. She moved to Aberdeen, SD in 2006 where she resided at the Primrose Independent Living Apartments, before moving to Avera Mother Joseph Manor in 2011. Ann loved to travel and took many trips around the country, especially enjoying Mexico and Las Vegas. She was an avid card player and enjoyed reading, spending time at her lake cabin at Blue Dog Lake and socializing. She loved all things Norwegian, even lutefisk and especially lefse. She was a long-time member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Waubay and a member of the WELCA Friendship Circle. She also belonged to the Tuesday Club. She served as Mayor of Waubay and was a 50 year resident. She considered Waubay as “home”. Ann had great empathy for people and appreciated those who showed her kindness and friendship. Ann was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings Burton, Lillian, Lena, Andrew, Wilma, Erling, Helen, and James, her husband, Arlo Bates; a grandson, David Koenig, and a great-grand-daughter, Audrey Johnston. She is survived by her children Nancy (Charles) Koenig of Denver CO; Judy (James) Koenig of Charles City, IA; Susan (Kerry) Johnston of Aberdeen, SD; Sonja (John) Holm of Thermopolis, WY; Kathy Bates of Everett, WA; and Scott (Cherise) Bates of West Des Moines, IA and her13 grandchildren:Andrine (Matt) Ward, Kristine Koenig, Barbara Koenig of Denver, CO; Daniel (Carrie) Koenig of Ames, IA; Julie (Aaron) Niezwaag of Waukesha, WI; Bo (Melissa) Johnston of Minnetonka, MN; James (Jessica) Johnston of Aberdeen, SD; Micah Johnston of Denver, CO; Elizabeth (Ryan) Hanretty of Buffalo, NY; Jonathan Tracy of NYC; Arlo, Elly Jo, and Cara Bates of West Des Moines, IA as well as 14 great-grandchildren and a sister-in-law, Marian Grinley of Edina, MN, and her Grinley nieces and nephews.