Maudean Grace (McCracken) Bates

Maudean Grace (McCracken) Bates, 89, of La Luz, New Mexico, went to heaven on April 2, 2020.  As part of an Otero County pioneer family, she was born to parents W. M. (Steve) McCracken and Annie Wright McCracken, on September 10, 1930 in Alamogordo, New Mexico.  She grew up on the McCracken Ranch (now known as Bugscuffle) in the Sacramento Mountains.  Maudean was a skilled ranch hand and loved horseback riding and taking care of horses and cattle.  Though times were hard, she had fond memories of those days.  She graduated from Alamogordo High School in 1948. 

On September 18, 1950 she married Bill Bates.  Together they had 3 children whom they lovingly raised.  They were married for 50 years before Bill passed away on April 4, 2001.  After her children were in school, she returned to the work force as a secretary at Tularosa Elementary School, where she retired after 36 years.   In later years, she was often asked “Are you Mrs. Bates?  I remember you!” 
 
Much could be said about Granny, as she was known to many, but the thing that stood out is her love for her family and her church family.  Though before she was married, she was much better at breaking horses than cooking, Granny was well-known for the many meals she cooked and served or shared with folks.  She always said she would “cook or baby sit for love but not money.”  Maudean was always a hard worker, doing her job, raising her family, maintaining the family farm, and caring for her aging mother.  In later years she was the first to volunteer to make food for sick or bereaved folks and hosted many a family meal through the years.

Maudean is survived by her children and their spouses:  Rhonda & Ron Tyson, Dee Don & Michele Bates, and Terri & Kenny Bunt.  She is also survived by her 7 grandsons:   Tracy and Mark Tyson; Dee Don II, Davin and Dustin Bates; and Michael and Steven Bunt, 16 great-grandchildren, two sisters-in- law:  Carrie Foote and Serena Fernau, and many nieces and nephews, friends and church friends.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, her parents, seven siblings (Gertrude Snyder, Manson McCracken, Maurita Brown, Anne Bonnell, Steve McCracken, Curl McCracken, and Ruthena Hamm) and many sisters-in-laws and brothers-in-law.
Maudean had told many people in the past few years that she was ready to go.  She was more ready to go than we were for her to leave.   But we are thankful that God in His mercy gently took her home.  “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15). 
 
Maudean was buried in La Luz Community Cemetery with a small gathering of family and church family, joined on Zoom by loved ones far away.   As one grandson put it, “Granny never wanted to be the center of attention, so she passed at a time when we couldn’t have a big funeral.”  A Memorial Service will be held at a later date when coronavirus issues are resolved. 
 
 

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