Lia Bates

6/13/2021

Services for Lia Bates, 93, of Skaneateles, will be held Saturday, June 19th at St. James Episcopal Church, Skaneateles at 10am. Calling hour will be from 8:45 to 9:45am at church. Burial will follow the service at Lakeview Cemetery, Skaneateles.
Born and raised in Amsterdam, Holland, Lia visited area schools and shared her memories of her childhood classmate, Anne Frank.
Lia married her late husband Paul Bates and raised five children in Skaneateles, where she lived for 64 years. They are Richard (Elisa), Paulia (Frank), Pamela (Jeff), Peter (Rose), and Christopher (Yolanda), 10 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nieces and nephews.
Contributions can be made to St. James Episcopal Church.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

32 Comments

Jane Cooney

6/14/2021 02:28:44 pm

Paulia, I am so sorry to read of your mother's passing. She was always so kind to my mom. Their many conversations, plus the chatty notes with watercolor sketches included, that Lia sent, so often made my mother's day. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Paulia Bates

6/20/2021 03:25:47 pm

Dear Jane,
Thank you for your kind remarks and thoughts. My Mom always enjoyed getting together with yours for tea and/or a visit. I'm so glad they stayed good friends for so long. It's been so hard to lose our Mom even though we knew it was growing more and more inevitable. I miss her terribly.

The Buterbaugh Family

6/14/2021 02:37:56 pm

We were privileged to know Lia through St. James. She was a remarkable woman - smart, kind, funny, perceptive, talented, upbeat. We will always remember her warm smile and the twinkle in her eye... and we will think of her every time we see tulips blooming.

Kathy Baker Ploufe

6/14/2021 02:48:13 pm

I loved her. She was so kind and caring. I remember her always saying ‘Hi dare, how are you?” That accent was a joy and her smile was so genuine. Loved her. I recently knocked on her door on one of my walks hoping to visit with her. She will always contribute to my memories of influential people and happy times on Fennell Street.

Rick Bates

6/28/2021 03:27:21 pm

Thanks, Kathy, for sharing your kind memories of my Mom. I often think of your family when I walk or drive by your parent's former Fennell Street house. I think only Billy Davis still lives in the Fennell Street home that he lived in when we were growing up.

Robert Brewer

6/14/2021 02:49:16 pm

Sorry for your loss.
The Brewer family.

Lisa Johnson Clark

6/14/2021 03:28:32 pm

Dear Pete, Chris and family,
I’m sorry to hear about your mother’s passing. My children loved when she can’t to their school to hear her stories! I loved hanging out at Bass’s house and camp to hear your stories!! May god bless your family during this difficult time.

Pete Bates

6/15/2021 05:37:39 pm

Awww.. thanks so much Lisa. Yes she was one of a kind. Could never get her to stay in Florida for more than a week because she was so attached to Skaneateles! Yes Bass’s camp will always be such a happy place in thoughts when we were growing up!

Walter, Dennis, Pat, & Cori Youngs

6/14/2021 04:26:23 pm

Dear Paulia and Frank,

We are sending our deepest condolences on the loss of your mother. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.

Love,

Walter, Dennis, Pat, & Cori Youngs

Paulia Bates

6/20/2021 03:31:17 pm

Thank you! Your kindness and support really helped us through the past few weeks. It has been so hard to lose her.
Thanks again.

Vickie McPeck

6/14/2021 05:05:06 pm

I was so sorry to hear of Lia's passing. I was often an escort on Laker Limo on Tuesday for her art class at the Boyle Center or Wednesday for the senior luncheon. Such a lovely lady who I will miss dearly. I am so sorry for your loss.

Terri Taylor Wright

6/14/2021 05:06:14 pm

To the Dear Bates Family;

Your Mom was the epitome of graciousness. I never saw her that she didn't call me by name and ask how I was and always with that wonderful smile. A dear kind woman who will be greatly missed. Love to you all from a Fennell St. neighbor.

Paulia Bates

6/20/2021 03:40:08 pm

Dear Terri, Thank you for sharing your memories and thoughts of our mother. I also remember both of your parents and most of your siblings and your house. I always thought of them whenever we shopped at TOPS in Skaneateles. We won't be doing that as often anymore. So many Fennell Street memories! Thank you for your message.

Kylee Gillmore

6/15/2021 09:43:19 am

Bates Family, I am so sorry for your loss. My name is Kylee Gillmore and I am a recent graduate of Skaneateles High School. In 8th grade, we did a project where we had to interview someone form the community and I got the honor of speaking with Mrs.Bates. We then made a documentary about her and I was hoping to be able to share that video with you in remembering the incredible life of Mrs.Bates and the strength she showed. My email is [email protected], if you would like the link to this video please email me! My condolences again.

Helga Frick

6/15/2021 10:29:30 am

Heaven has just received one more Saint!

To all in the Family:
Your Mom, grandma, and great grandmother was one of the most impressive human beings I ever knew...and a beautiful role model.
To be able to count her as an almost 50-year long friend was pure
gift. ~ I can imagine how much you will miss her! She always spoke, or wrote, so fondly of all of you. May all the lovely memories be able to console you.

Rest in PEACE, dearest Lia. Thank you for all your love!

Geralyn Huba

6/15/2021 01:50:51 pm

Lia was truly an angel on earth, and I feel so blessed to have met her, and gotten to call her a friend. Her work in the Middle School with the students touched so many lives, and I was so fortunate to participate in those sessions. I had framed her Christmas card from this year, and seeing it every day makes me smile. Although now through my tears, as she is gone. Thank you to the family for sharing her with all of us. Take Care, Geralyn

Fred (Pete) Covert

6/15/2021 06:15:14 pm

My sincerest condolences to the Bates family. Mrs. Bates was one of the kindest souls I have ever met. I loved visiting with her and listening to her stories. Heaven has gained a true angel.

Suzanne Hutchinson

6/16/2021 07:31:27 am

What an honor and privilege it has been to know Lia Bates and her family. We were members many years ago of the same prayer chain at St James. Lia was one of my prayer partners. We shared so many conversations. I always looked forward to seeing her at church.
Please accept my sincere sympathy at this time.

Susan Winters

6/16/2021 06:16:23 pm

I will miss my dear sweet Lia! Our birthdays were one day apart. We have been friends for many years. We ate together at senior lunches. Share many cups of tea a her home. I loved bringing her those windmill cookies she loved. She was a kind and wonderful lady. I will be sending prayers to her entire family each evening !
Much love!

Mark Hess

6/17/2021 07:02:05 am

My condolences on the loss of your mother. Having grown up in Skaneateles with all of you, I would like to say, it was always a pleasure for me when I ran into your mother in the village. She was always so pleasant and asked about my family everytime she spoke with me. She will be missed. Mark

Paulia Bates

6/20/2021 03:44:44 pm

Dear Mark, Thank you for your kind remarks and memories of our Mom. We always had the best Fennell Street neighbors! We miss her so much already. Thanks again.

Pete Bates

6/17/2021 07:45:50 pm

Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts and memories of our mother! It will help us get through this knowing that there’s so many good people that got to treasure someone who gave it all she had straight from the heart. No dog n’ pony show, just the real deal. Thank you.

Vanessa Yates

6/18/2021 04:32:12 pm

Dear sweet Lia! I had the opportunity to spend time with Lia on our rides on Laker Limo. I thoroughly enjoyed our time together! She painted a beautiful painting full of tulips and a windmill, which is proudly displayed in our home. A constant reminder of a classy lady.

Delores and Samuel Pope

6/18/2021 06:30:22 pm

Chris and Yolanda and Family,

We are so very happy to have know Lia for over 32 years! What a joy she was! Christopher is our dear son in law and we met Lia when she came to California to visit with Yolanda and Chris and their family who were visiting from Oregon. Lia has been an integral part of our "California" family ever since! As the old adage goes, "we feel as if we have known her forever." We loved the stories about Anne Frank and Lia's childhood. We reveled in the knowledge that in Lia, we had a historical figure amongst us. Lia was so kind, so thoughtful and so considerate! We exchanged greeting cards all through the years. Of course, we thoroughly enjoyed how Lia would write in every available space on the card. I enjoyed that so much that I too, started to write all over the cards as she did. Lia was so full of life! We marveled at how she went hiking with family when she was in her seventies and eighties, a feat that many younger family members could not do! We all loved Lia so much! She was the kindest person that we knew! We enjoyed many visits with Lia over the years. Lia knew the name of every flower and every tree. She would look at flowers in our garden and tell us what they were. The last time that I spoke to Lia was about two and one half weeks ago. She knew who I was and she called me by name. I just knew that she would get better since she sounded so good. But, it wasn't to be. Lia has left this world a better place for having been here. She touched so many lives in a positive way and she showed people how to be the best of who they are just by watching her example. Now, Dear Lia has ascended to the heavens where a set of "Wings" await her. We love you Lia and will miss you terribly!

Shirley A Carpenter (Aunt Shirley)

6/19/2021 06:01:14 pm

Chris, Yolanda and Family,

I was very sad when I heard the news of this “amazing” lady that I have the pleasure and honor of knowing; to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Ms. Lia referred to me as “Aunt Shirley” and all the “love” always came thru when she said it; in writing, phone, or in person.

The following poem is dedicated to this beautiful , loving and caring lady; paraphrased by myself:

There is a comforting thought at the end of the
day
When we are weary and lonely and sad,
That sort of grips hold of our crusty old heart
And bids it be merry and glad
It gets in our souls and it drives out the blues
And finally thrills through and through,
It is just a sweet memory that chants the
refrain;
We’re glad we touched shoulders with you

Ms Lia, Did you know you were brave, did you
know you were strong?
Did you know there were many leaning hard?
Did you know that we waited and listened and
prayed,
And was cheered by your simplest word?
Did you know we longed for that smile on
your face,
For the sound of your voice ringing
true?
Did you know we grew stronger and better
because
We had merely touched shoulders with you?

We are glad that we live, that we battle and
strive
For the place that we know we must fill;
We are thankful for sorrows, we’ll meet with
a grin
What fortune may send, good or ill.
We may not have wealth, we may not be
great
But we know we shall always be true,
For we have in our life that courage you
gave
When once we rubbed shoulders with
you

Author Unknown

I am continuing to pray for your strength; now and the days ahead!

May God Continue to Bless you all, May God keep you all; this is my prayer.

Sending lots of “love” and “hugs” to you today!

There

Kathleen O'Gorman

6/20/2021 11:39:30 am

Mrs. Bates must have been an amazing woman! Her daughter Paulia, my friend is very kind and caring like Mrs. Bates seems to have been. I never met her. How amazing that she knew Ann Frank and also survived the terrible occupation of Holland.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Love, Kathi and Bob

Paulia Bates

6/21/2021 06:20:01 pm

Dear Kathi and Bob,,
Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers. Your love and support has been appreciated by all of us. Yes, our Mom was an amazing person who made every single person she knew feel special. You both would have loved her too.

Robbie Scott

6/24/2021 03:02:27 pm

Rick, Paulia and all the sibs...
My heartfelt condolences on your Mom's passing. How well I remember your kind and wonderful Mom.! Having grown up in the 50's and 60's on Jordan street we often played in the woods and fields behind the houses and Rick was one of our best buddies over the years, (which also included the remarkable northern Quebec' canoe trip).
I remember one time stopping in at your house to get something to drink and a cookie before going back out to play and your Mom and Dad were there, both such kind and caring parents, so welcoming to all the neighborhood kids. I also know that my Mom, Bonnie Scott, thought the world of Lia as well. What a wonderful life your Mom had, and all of us were blessed to have known her.
Rob

Rick Bates

6/28/2021 03:18:37 pm

Thanks, Robbie, for your kind words about my mother and fond remembrances of what now seems like a different lifetime. I remember our parents visiting with each other several times and of course our playing in the back fields (now forest) as kids. Also, I remember staying at least one night and probably longer at your place when I was around 10. During the night we went out and caught a jar full of fireflies, many of which unfortunately died by morning. I also remember it seems like more than one raccoon and maybe a crow that your family adopted. Our memorable trip on the Nestocanaugh sp? I think about often. Also some memories about visiting with your brothers Tom and Joe in Las Vegas.. We should get together sometime, Rick

Chris Strodel

7/3/2021 12:25:14 pm

Lis was such wonderful lady. I had the privilege of being an escort for her with Laker Limo. My shift on Wednesdays took Lia and some other ladies to the Wednesday Y luncheon. Lia always looked out for the other gals that accompanied her to the luncheon. Lia had such a beautiful spirit and she always brought me so much joy. Saddened knowing I won’t see her again. Sending sympathies to her family that she talked about and loved. Rest In Peace Lia.

Pat Blackwell

11/5/2021 01:01:06 pm

I was privileged to meet Lia when she was a client of FISH of Skaneateles. She shared her history with me coming to Sk, and living on Fennel St., giving our library the page Anne Frank signed for her many years before. She was a special lady.

Millie Watson

2/19/2023 02:30:10 pm

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