Bates, Stephen 1939-2025

BATES, PETTIGREW, DUNHAM

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 10/1/2025 at 19:07:58

Stephen Bates, 86, of Le Mars, Iowa, died on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at Happy Siesta Health Care Center in Remsen, Iowa.
Memorial Service will be at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Le Mars. Reverend Steven Broers will officiate. Interment with military honors provided by the Wasmer American Legion Post 241 of Le Mars will be at Memorial Cemetery in Le Mars. Visitation with the family present will be from noon until service time and following the service during a time of fellowship in the church dining room.
Arrangements are with the Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars.

Steve valued the work of a classroom teacher. In lieu of flowers, friends may donate memorials directed to the Stephen D. Bates Scholarship Fund, Le Mars Community Schools Foundation. Scholarships will be given to future Le Mars Community High School graduates who pursue a teaching profession. Donations to the scholarship fund can be mailed to Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home, PO Box 711, Le Mars, Iowa, 51031.

The son of Sherrill Pettigrew and Doris Dunham Bates, Steve was born June 1, 1939, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He was baptized and confirmed at South Congregational Church, Pittsfield.

Steve attended Darrow School, New Lebanon, New York, where he was a school leader and standout athlete. He graduated from Darrow School in 1957.

Steve earned a Bachelor of Science Degree at Nebraska State Teachers College, n/k/a Peru State, in 1961. In college he continued his love of sports, playing football and baseball. He was a member of the college’s debate team and president of Denzel Hall.

Steve met his wife, Phyl, when they were enrolled in the same college kinesiology class. They were soon sitting side-by-side during the class, and they were side-by-side for the following 65 years. They were a team, and their home was filled with lots of love and laughter. Their children are Josh, Beth, Cathy, Chris, and Dave.

After graduating from college, Steve was drafted and served stateside in the United States Marine Corps. Following an honorable discharge, he taught American history and physical education at Rock County High School, Bassett, Nebraska. At RCHS he was the cross country and basketball coach and assistant football and track coach. During the summers he coached the Bassett American Legion baseball team. He was a member of the Bassett Lions Club.

Steve was the recipient of a three-year National Defense Education Act Fellowship. He earned his Master’s Degree and Doctoral Degree in Educational Psychology and Guidance at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. His dissertation was “A STUDY OF TOLERENCE-INTOLERANCE OF AMBIGUITY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO DOGMATISM.” He was a member of Phi Delta Kappa honorary fraternity. While attending grad school, he was employed part-time as a guidance counselor for Westfield Iowa High School.

Upon his graduation from USD in 1969, Steve and his family moved to Le Mars, Iowa, where Steve began his career as a school psychologist with the Plymouth County (Iowa) Board of Education. He was an advocate for students for the following 42 years. He helped establish the special education classes.

Following the 1975 merger of the states’ boards of education he was the head school psychologist for Area Education Agency 12 for several years. He directed the Plymouth County Go-getters Track and Field Meet, part of Special Olympics.

In addition to his work as a school psychologist, Steve was an University of South Dakota adjunct professor teaching graduate level psychology courses for ten years. He also taught undergraduate psychology courses at Westmar College, Morningside University and St. Luke’s College. He was a dedicated mentor to grad students.

He retired from the Western Hills Area Education Agency (former AEA 12) in 2011. Upon his retirement, during a ceremony at the state capital, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad recognized Steve for his many years of dedication to students in the state of Iowa.
Through his work as a teacher, coach, counselor, psychologist, mentor, and professor, Steve left a positive influence on the lives of many people. He took the time to listen.

A long-time member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Le Mars, he was an usher, served on the church council as a deacon, and taught adult Sunday School classes.

Steve loved, supported, and encouraged his family. He was delighted for the achievements and honors earned by his children and grandchildren. He attended their numerous high school and college music, sports, and performing arts events. He set fine examples of faith, sportsmanship, honesty, common sense, and humor.

Steve was a sports enthusiast. He enjoyed attending auctions, refinishing vintage furniture, helping his father-in-law put up hay, hunting, and listening to jazz music. He was a conservationist. He had fun at the Bates Vacation Club adventures. He liked a cold beer, a fine cigar, and playing Pitch. Steve had a witty sense of humor and a hearty laugh. With paper road maps and cameras-in-hand, he and Phyl traveled throughout the USA.

A member of the Le Mars Little League Board, Steve coached Little League teams and umpired baseball and softball Little League tournament games. He was a volunteer coach for Le Mars boys’ youth basketball teams at the Tri-State Basketball Tournaments, Sioux Falls, SD. He served as president of the LCHS Band Parents Association and a member of the Plymouth County Historical Museum Board of Directors. He was a member of Plymouth County Pheasants Forever. A charter and active member of the Le Mars Kiwanis Club, Steve served as club president.
He saw his glass as full, never just half-full, and he was thankful for his many blessings.

With the onset of Steve’s Alzheimer’s Disease, his family lovingly cared for him at home. He became a resident of a memory care center in 2021, later moving to a skilled care nursing home where he died August 5, 2025.

Steve was preceded in death by his son, Joshua Justus Bates; his parents S.P. and Doris Bates; parents-in-law Justus and Emma Grube; grandparents Charles and Mary Dunham; grandparents Herbert and Mary Bates; his sister and brother-in law Lois and Dr. Thomas Walnut; his sister and brother-in-law Ann and Robert Wohlleber; nephew John Wohlleber; friends George, Lois, and Darrell Feit.

Family cherishing his memory with love include his wife, Phyllis; daughter and son-in-law Elizabeth and Ronald Muldrow; daughter Catherine Bates; son and daughter-in-law Christopher and Laurie Bates; son and daughter-in-law David and Barbara Bates.

Grandsons Marcus (Calee) Muldrow; Dr. Brandon (Paige) Bates; Thomas (Peyton) Bates; Phillip Muldrow; Peter (Kari) Bates; Matthew (fiancée Kaitlyn Harrington) Bates. Granddaughter Laura Bates; great-granddaughters Aubrey and Harper Muldrow; and nieces and nephews.