Linda Ellen Bates

Dec. 11, 1943 – Jan. 23, 2020

Anchor Point resident Linda Ellen Bates, 76, passed away Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 at home.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, at Anchor Point Baptist Church, 34085 Sterling Highway in Anchor Point.

Linda was born to the late Morris Allie Bateman and Clara Ellen Bateman on Dec. 11, 1943 in Wheaton, Missouri. Between 1943 and 1960 their family moved around from Missouri to Kansas and then on to Arkansas where Linda attended Gravette High School and graduated in 1962.

In May 1961, she met her loving husband, Gary W. Bates. They quickly knew that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together and married on Feb. 5, 1962, shortly after Linda turned 18. They had a son, Jeffrey W. Bates, in March 1963.

The draw of Alaska adventure was too much to bear, so Linda and Gary packed up and moved to the Last Frontier in August 1971. Shortly after the move, they met their dear friends, Peggy and Dick Marsh. The Marshes were missionaries in Alaska and pastored Anchor Point Baptist Church. Linda and Gary started faithfully attending the church in 1972 and have been members there since. Linda professed her faith in Jesus Christ from an early age and integrated quickly in Anchor Point Baptist Church. Over the years, she served faithfully as the Sunday school teacher for the primary age children. She helped in the nursery and was treasurer for somewhere around 20 years.

Linda was the owner (along with Gary) and office manager of Lower Peninsula Auto, which opened in 1981. She thoroughly enjoyed gardening with her husband and loved to pass on everything she knew about it. Linda peacefully lost the battle to cancer and went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Jan. 23, 2020. She will be dearly missed and forever remembered by her family and friends, for her kindness, compassion, and insurmountable amount of patience.

Linda is survived by her dear husband, Gary W. Bates; son, Jeffrey W. Bates and his wife, Jeanne; brother, Dennis Bateman Sr. and his wife, Susan; and grandchildren, Jessica Cantwell and husband, Kellen, and Jacob Bates; as well as three great-grandchildren. She will be so missed, but we are thankful we will see her again in Heaven.

Arrangements were by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.