Irene Bates, 77, passed away Thursday, November 9, 2006 at her home in Fort Branch, Indiana.

She was born August 14, 1929 in Wheeling, Indiana and had lived in the Princeton area her entire lifetime. Irene was a nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes & Wirth Hospital in Oakland City and later became a coal miner with Old Ben # 2 for 11 years. She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star in Fort Branch and the V.F.W. #1147 Ladies Auxiliary in Princeton.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Carson "Kit" & Gillie (Whitehouse) White; her 1st husband, Howard W. Mason & 2nd husband, Billy R. Bates; a daughter, Becky R. Bates; brothers, Danny, Leonard, Roy Gilford, Earl & Don White; sisters, Inice Pollock & Leona Woods; a son-in-law, Ronnie Stubblefield. 

Survivors include her daughters, Judy (Mason) Stubblefield of Fort Branch, IN & Donna (Mason) "George" Weber of Francisco, IN; 4 grandchildren, Dana (Casper) "Kerry" Dowdell, Greg Whitten Jr. "Judy", Michael Joe Hayes Jr. & Matthew Weber; 5 great grandchildren & 2 step great grandchildren; a brother, Ernest White of Fort Branch; sisters, Hazel Stewart & Margaret Rector both of Princeton, Lavon Helsley of Francisco & Elsie Bell of Somerville; numerous nieces & nephews. 

Funeral services will be graveside at 2 P.M. Wednesday, November 15, 2006 at Mt. Olive Cemetery in Mt. Olympus, officiated by Rev. Joel Simpson.

Friends may visit from 5 until 8:30 P.M. Tuesday at Colvin Funeral Home in Princeton. Family & friends will meet at the cemetery for the graveside service.