Denise A. Bates

Denise A. Bates, 73, of Evansville, IN, passed away Saturday, April 18, 2020, at Pine Haven Nursing Home. She was born on November 14, 1946, in Charles City, Iowa to the late Ercyle and Ruth (Merfeld) Keeling.

Denise retired from the Indiana Department of Child Services. She was an Adoption Specialist and Special Needs Adoption Specialist where she traveled to several counties in Indiana. Denise loved decorating and cooking along with fishing and camping and dearly loved her dogs. She was a very generous woman, with a heart of gold.

Denise was a member of the Mayflower Association. She was very interested in genealogy and did a lot of research. Through her research, she discovered that many of her ancestors traveled over on the “Mayflower.”

She battled many health issues and overcame so much. She was truly a great and strong woman (mom) and she never let anything stand in her way.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Marvin Bates in 2016; and her triplet grandchildren.

Denise is survived by her daughters, Piper Blackard (Harold) and Rachel Dudley; many grandchildren; one sister; two brothers; aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, August 26, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. at Alexander West Chapel. Friends may visit from 3:00 p.m. until service time at the funeral home.

Condolences may be offered at www.AlexanderWestChapel.com.