Frances Alberta Luella (Frankie) BATES
December 21, 1921 - June 28, 2007
Frankie Bates was born in Prince Rupert, B.C. to a pioneer family from the Pacific Northwest.
Art, her husband of 65 years, daughter Margo and son-in-law Russ, step-grandchildren Rachael, Tommaso and the latest addition to the family, 11-month-old Damian Zamperini, Joel and Ana (Karim), survives her. Her beloved ‘grand-pup’ Harry the dog and numerous relatives on both sides of the family also survive her.
Her parents William Winsor and Annie Elizabeth Noonan, her sisters Mary Elizabeth ‘Molly’ Hill and Louise ‘Lou’ Pipe, predeceased her.
Frankie stood for family, fairness, sportsmanship, and goodwill. She looked you straight in the eye, and was kind and generous with her love, advice and support. From the age of four, she studied violin, then piano. At age 17, she formed The Rhythm Rollers Dixieland dance band, which performed in the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District area. She excelled in softball, and was called ‘the best darn ball player in the Northwest’, due in part to a long-standing record of five home runs at five times to bat in a ball tournament during the 1950s.
She loved working at CFTK Radio/Television in Terrace, BC, and many of her closest friendships were formed in the years at TK. Once Frankie and Art moved to White Rock, she opened a second hand-antique shop, grew a most amazing garden, and for 25 years helped out as a ‘keeper of the keys’ for the Lower Mainland Yacht Co-op. Frankie’s main job was as the foundation for Art and she supported him and his numerous inventions, enterprises and creative endeavours.
There were four things Frankie wanted to do in her life: travel to Hawaii, which she did many times; learn to fly – she got her private pilot’s license at age 45; go to New Orleans to hear her beloved Dixieland music first-hand, and travel to Newfoundland to meet her father’s family and see where he was born. Daughter Margo took her to New Orleans, and her beloved niece Vera took her to Newfie.
Lucky at bingo, the slots and horse races, it seems only fitting that a celebration of Frankie’s life would take place on the luckiest day of the century: 07/07/07. If she were still alive, Frankie would advise you to purchase a lottery ticket, and if you win, make sure to give generously in her honour to the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations to the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation ‘Frankie Bates Furniture Fund’ to purchase comfortable chairs and cots for other families who stay with their loved ones at the Palliative Unit. Donations may be made to Peace Arch Hospital and Community Health Foundation, 15521 Russell Avenue, White Rock, British Columbia, Canada V4B 2R4 or donate online at HYPERLINK “http://www.peacearchhospital.com” www.peacearchhospital.com.
Frankie’s ashes will be placed with her parents at the Telkwa Cemetery
later this summer.