Violet M. Bates, 87, of Fort Dodge, passed away Monday, August 13, 2012 at the Tompkins Memorial Health Center in Fort Dodge. Services will be 11:00 AM Thursday at the New Covenant Christian Church with Rev. Michael Carmody officiating. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Eagle Grave, Iowa. Visitation will be from 9:00 AM until the time of services Thursday at the New Covenant Christian Church in Fort Dodge. The Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Fort Dodge are in charge of arrangements.
Violet is survived by her five children, Peggy Ann (Skip) Hendrickson of Fort Dodge, Joanne (Craig) Carlson of Manson, Iowa, Shirley (John) Larson of Clarinda, Iowa, Brenda (Dan) Holaday of Atlantic, Iowa, and Brian (Ranae) Bates of Rockwell City, Iowa; 15 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband in 1983, her parents, a son Stephen in 1987, and two brothers and ten sisters.
Violet M. Nelson, the daughter of William and Alma (Johnson) Nelson was born October 26, 1924, in Lone Rock, Iowa and graduated from Lone Rock High School in 1942. On November 3, 1945, Violet married Kenneth Bates in Burt, Iowa. Violet worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 16 years retiring in 1987. From 1981 until her retirement, Violet was the postmaster in Thor, Iowa. Her husband passed away on January 27, 1983, and after Kenneth's death, Violet moved to Fort Dodge where she severed as the secretary for New Covenant Christian Church from May 1988 until January 1996.
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VIOLET M. BATES
Violet was a member of New Covenant Christian Church and was able to serve on several oversea mission trips. She also volunteered at Friendship Haven.