Shirley 'Jean' Bates

Jean was born in Glenella, Manitoba on July 1, 1937 to Jack and Mabel Cheetham. She received her early education in Kelwood, Grosse Isle, St Germain, and high school at Glenlawn Collegiate.

In July 1954 she attended a six week teaching course at Manitoba’s Normal School and taught on a permit at Southfield School in Pratt, Manitoba. She then returned to Glenlawn Collegiate for grade twelve and to Manitoba Normal School in Winnipeg when she got her Teacher’s Certificate. In September 1957 she was hired on with the Winnipeg School Board to teach grade two.

Lifelong learning was a goal throughout Jean’s teaching career. In Thunder Bay she attended night classes and summer classes receiving her BA, BED, and Junior and Senior specialists. She retired in June 1995 after spending thirty-two enjoyable years in her chosen profession. Her students remember her as a patient, kind and smiling teacher.

On August 16, 1958 she married her longtime sweetheart, Don, and in 1959, their daughter Dawna was born.

As Don’s job required travelling in the prairie region of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario, Jean taught in the towns that were looking for teachers. In 1965, Jean had the experience of living in a railway station in Kakabeka Falls, Ontario. Their sons Derek and Clint were born in Thunder Bay.

In 1981 they moved into their country home in Kakabeka Falls, Ontario. Jean enjoyed planting many flowers, herbs, vegetables and shrubs there. Then she retired in 1995 and Don and Jean began living their dream of travelling in the winter south and summer travel in Canada. In 2000 they sold their country home, bought a larger motorhome and travelled throughout the US, Mexico and Canada fulltime in it for 16 years.

In 2016 they bought a condo in Vernon. It was on September 28, 2024 that her lifelong companion passed away.

Jean leaves to mourn her daughter, Dawna, sons Derek (Lindsay), and Clint (Diana), her sister Bev and her sister Carole (Peter), her brother in-law Glenn (Barb), and her sister-in-law Carol (Tom).Grandchildren Trevor, Taiya, Matthew, Elly-Jade, Alexi, Tyler, Sophie, and Paige. Great grandchildren Anthony, Delta, Leo, Olivia, Floralie, and Jacob.

Jean was predeceased by her husband Don in 2024, parents Jack and Mabel Cheetham, sister

Audrey McGregor, brother-in-law Gary, and son-in-law, Terry Ahola.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice.