Margaret Geneva Bates

She began life on a large ranch in Oklahoma as a young child and remembers being lonely with few friends nearby, not much for a child her age to do. One story she liked to tell was about going to the hired hands bunk house where she learned to play cards at the tender age of three. She was raised on the ranch until the age of twelve when she then moved in with her Aunt Opal and Uncle Buck, who lived close to town, and she continued to live with them until she graduated from high school. Geneva married Wallace Bates at Opal and Buck’s home right after graduation in 1942. They had two children, Linda Lou and Randal Gene.

Her first job was at the age of 16 as a salesgirl in the toy department of Woolworth’s Department store in Holdenville, Oklahoma. As young as she was, Geneva quickly moved up to Sales Manager for the department and sales continued as her chosen profession for the remainder of her life

As an adult, her first job was with Tandy Leather as representative for the company’s sales shows promoting leather goods. Later, she obtained her real estate license and worked for Triangle Sales as Office Manager, eventually promoting to sales where she became quite successful. She also opened two offices for Triangle, one in Garden Grove and one in Norco, California. She also worked as a sales agent for Merrill Lynch and Century 21 Real Estate.

Geneva was recognized as the highest producing sales agent in Orange County for the mobile home industry, receiving numerous awards in the late 1980’s and 1990’s for consistently achieving annual sales in excess of a million dollars.

Years later, she successfully opened and operated her own business in mobile home sales, selling homes in Rancho Del Rey Mobile Home Estates in Huntington Beach, California where she lived for thirty-five years. Geneva retired at 85 and even then, thought she had retired too soon.

After retirement in 2006 she continued with her busy social life, entertaining frequently. She said she outlived most of her friends and started feeling the loneliness of being the oldest and last one left. Friends within her mobile home park describe her as fiercely independent.

Mom described her life in this way: “I had a wonderful, exciting, successful and rewarding life all these years."

Geneva fell in her home in early October, breaking her hip. The fracture was the beginning of her decline. Although she tried valiantly to regain her strength, she was not able to do so. She thought she would live to be 100 and almost made it.

We are thankful we were able to spend so much time together during her last month of life, giving us several special moments with her. She was there at the beginning of our lives and we were glad to be there at the end of her life.

She leaves behind her two children: Linda Ormes and Randal Bates

Grandchildren: Chavala Bates and Abraham Bates

Jennifer Kraushaar and Sarah Ormes

Great Grandchildren: Val Wines, Asha Austin

Aven and Elodie Bates

Lainey and Case Kraushaar

May God be with you, Mom