Virginia Louise “Jenni” Bates was born March 27, 1939, in Seminole, Oklahoma, to Herbert Wiley and Violet Lavonia Jernigan Brewer. She died Monday, October 11, 2021, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the age of 82 years. Following employment during war time, the family moved to California for a couple of years and back to Oklahoma, settling in Shawnee, OK in 1945. Jenni started elementary school in Shawnee. The family moved to Bradley, OK in 1955 where Jenni attended Bradley High School, and graduated as Valedictorian. She went on to Conners State College on scholarship, then worked at a bank in Oklahoma City. She met her first husband, Donald Todd, around that time. They were married and moved to Purcell, OK. She was a stay-at-home mom caring for her children in their younger years, and later worked with Citgo Petroleum Company in Tulsa as an accountant. She was married December 12, 1989, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, to her second husband, Carter Temple Bates, Jr. Together they enjoyed spending time square dancing and participated with several groups including Belles and Beaus, Boot and Slipper, Do-Si-Do, and Double Ring. Jenni also enjoyed cooking, gardening, sewing and quilting. Family was most important to her and she especially enjoyed her role of “Granny” to her grandchildren, whom she referred to as her ‘Pumpkins’.
Those she leaves behind, who hold many cherished memories, include:
Children: Cheryl Laflin and husband Terry, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Lisa Ziriax and husband Steve, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Holly Nester and husband Neal, of Jenks, Oklahoma
James Todd, of Oklahoma, City, Oklahoma
Stepson: Michael Bates, his daughter Megan Washington, and her daughter Kiawa Juarez.
Grandchildren: Emily Huckabey, Brandon Laflin, John Mark Veenker, Steven Veenker,
Robert Roden, Rachael Ziriax, Colby Ziriax, Daneille Nester, Raeleigh Nester, Addison Todd, and Micah Todd.
Great grandchildren: Cecilia Huckabey, Temperance Huckabey, Gavin Veenker,
Kirsten Veenker, Rayne Acosta, Liam Roden, and Ava Roden.
Brother; Herbert David Brewer and wife Freida, of Del City, Oklahoma
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Carter Bates, brother Charles Edward Brewer, and grandson Gabriel Nester.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday, October 18, 2021, at Riverview Baptist Church in Bixby, Oklahoma. Funeral service will be held 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at Riverview Baptist Church with Pastor Andy Jobe officiating. Committal service and interment will follow at Floral Haven Memorial Gardens in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Arrangements and services were entrusted to Mowery Funeral Service of Owasso.
www.moweryfs.com
