Obituary of Margaret D. Bates

Margaret D. Bates, of Yankton SD died early May 24, 2013 at the age of 98 years. Burial of cremated remains will take place at a later date in Canistota, SD. A private family service will be held at that time. Margaret was born on October 27, 1914 to Dave and Katie Dreyer. She was the seventh of ten children. Margaret grew up in the Montrose area. As a child she worked on the family farm and had many memories of working cattle in the morning before school would start. She attended country school through 8th grade and High School in Montrose. Margaret was a wise woman who was self taught in the investment business. She enjoyed time with her clients advising them of money matters. She carried this into her later years by giving financial advice to her friends, family and neighbors. She loved to talk about smart investments to anyone who would listen. Margaret made her home in Sioux Falls, SD where she married Richard Bates. She lived in Sioux Falls until moving to Yankton in 1995. She enjoyed her neighborhood friends at Greenview Town homes. She was always ready to invite them in for tea and conversation. She loved to sit in her sunroom and watch the cars driving by on the highway or watch birds that she would feed out her back door. She stayed active by doing word puzzles, walking around her neighborhood, making sugar cookies, giving a good foot rub and visiting her friends and family for tea and conversation. Margaret loved to spend time teaching her great-grandchildren. She was a member of the Federated Woman's Club, attended many of her grandchildren's activities, and was an active member of the Christian Science Church where she read almost weekly. In December 2009, Margaret moved into Avera Majestic Bluffs Assisted Living where she made new friends and bragged about the best food she had ever been served day after day. She always spoke of how well she was treated and that she didn't have to worry about anything there. In April 2013, Margaret moved to Avera Sister James Care Center where she passed away. Her memory will be cherished by her daughter, Margo Mehrman, of Yankton, grand-daughter Jennifer (Chad) Kapla of Yankton, grandson Mason (Theresa) Mehrman, Harrisburg, Great-grandchildren Jace, Eli and Sydney Kapla and Jacoby, Sadie and Quincy Mehrman and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her nine siblings and parents, her husband in 1992, and her son-in-law, Fred Mehrman in 2007.