Member Profiles - Jane Anne Bates

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Jane Anne Bates, age 70, left us suddenly on March 21, 2009 in Austin, Texas.  Survived by husband, Richard Bates; daughter, Robin Juhnke, Austin, TX; son, Todd Juhnke, Corpus Christi, TX; sister, Dolly O'Brien, Minneapolis MN; step children, Dean Bates, San Angelo, TX, Mark (Velina) Bates, Albuquerque, NM, and Linda (Tom) Hetrick, Corona, CA; grandchildren, Calla, Jacob and Chelsea Juhnke, Hastings, MN, Kelsey and Catie Bates and Nathan Kaplan, Albuquerque, NM, and Helen, Amy and Matthew Hetrick, Corona, CA; nieces and nephew, Kathleen O'Brien (Jeffrey Loesch) and Patricia (Donald) Swiderski, Minneapolis, MN, Erin O'Brien, Albert Lea, MN, Cynthia Galarneau, and Daniel (Carrie) Dahlstrom, Minneapolis, MN; great niece and nephew, Siobhan and Michael Swiderski, Minneapolis, MN; and cousins in Sweden and Canada.  Preceded in death by parents, Eric Georg Dahlstrom and Jane Ann Runcie Dahlstrom; brothers, Alfred (Fred) Dahlstrom and Eric (Roy) Dahlstrom; brother- and sisters-in-law, Philip Edward O'Brien, Dorothy Smith Dahlstrom and Evie Behme Dahlstrom.

Jane was born on April 26, 1938, in Minneapolis, MN, as the youngest child into the loving family of Eric Dahlstrom, an immigrant from Goteborg, Sweden, and Jane Ann Dahlstrom, an immigrant from Aberdeen, Scotland.  Jane graduated from Bryn Mawr grade school and Hopkins High School and attended the University of Minnesota.  Jane excelled as a mom, homemaker, gardener, birder and naturalist, baker, chef and canner; but also advanced her professional finance career at the Minnesota Poultry testing laboratory and Minnesota Historical Society. 

In November, 1987, Jane moved to Austin, Texas. She continued her career with the Girl Scouts of Central Texas as finance officer from 1988 to her retirement in 2004. Jane married Dick Bates at Bethany United Methodist Church on Thanksgiving weekend, 1996.  Their life together has been happy and full, focusing on family and service to others.  Jane engaged in Austin's community life as a board member for the Austin Museum of Art, member and treasurer of Northwest Austin Rotary Club, volunteer for the Bullock State History Museum and as a Stephen's Minister at Bethany.  Jane's gift for music inspired and served the Bethany congregation. 

Jane brought music, energy, happiness and good will into our lives.  Her family and community will miss her immensely, but know Jane earned her place in heaven.  Services were at Bethany United Methodist Church at 11AM, Thursday, March 26, 2009.  Memorials in lieu of flowers to: Bethany UMC choir fund, Grief Share, Stephen Ministry fund or the North West Austin Rotary Club.