SR0542LRB099 12335 MST 35451 r
1
SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Nancy Lee Turgasen Bates of Danville, who
4passed away on April 5, 2015; and
5 WHEREAS, Nancy Bates was born in Louisville, Kentucky on
6February 12, 1934 to Vernon Louis and Julie Meier Turgasen; she
7attended Crete schools and graduated from Iowa State University
8in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education;
9she was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Omicron Nu honor
10societies and the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority; she married Keith
11Allen Bates, DVM, on August 24, 1956 at Crete Methodist Church;
12and
13 WHEREAS, While her husband was in the military, Nancy Bates
14taught school in Seattle, Washington and then part-time in
15Georgetown and Danville; she was active in parent-teacher
16associations and music booster organizations and was a Great
17Books leader; she worked with the Lakeview Hospital Junior
18Board, the Junior Services Club, the Danville Symphony Guild,
19and the P.E.O. Sisterhood; she was on the board of the
20Christian Home for Youth and the Danville Rescue Mission; she
21served as President of the League of Women Voters and the
22Salvation Army Auxiliary and was active on several local school
23and community referendum committees, including the Committee

SR0542- 2 -LRB099 12335 MST 35451 r
1for Middlefork Reservoir; and
2 WHEREAS, In 1980, Nancy Bates was elected to the Board of
3Trustees at Danville Area Community College and was the first
4female board Chair for her final 2 years, ending in 1999;
5during this time, she was active with the Illinois Community
6College Trustees Association, serving as secretary, regional
7Chair, and on several committees; in 1999, she received the
8Association of Community College Trustees' Trustee Leadership
9Award for the Central U.S. Region and was the recipient of the
10annual Athena Award from the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce;
11in 2014, she was named Director Emeritus of the Danville Area
12Community College Foundation; and
13 WHEREAS, Nancy Bates and her husband enjoyed traveling and
14volunteering; she was a member of the Danville Garden Club, the
15Clover Club, and the P.E.O.; she served as an officer of the
16Lincoln Park Historic District Homeowners Association and on
17the Webster Foundation and the Danville Area Community College
18Foundation boards; she enjoyed needlework and golf; she was an
19elder in the Presbyterian Church and served in many capacities
20at St. James United Methodist Church; and
21 WHEREAS, Nancy Bates was preceded in death by her parents;
22and

SR0542- 3 -LRB099 12335 MST 35451 r
1 WHEREAS, Nancy Bates is survived by her sister, Susan
2Sawyer; her husband, Keith; her son, Brian Keith Bates
3(Patricia) and his 2 sons, Johnathon "Jake" and Nick; and Dr.
4Becky Jo Estill (Scott) and her 2 daughters, Sara and Caitlin;
5therefore, be it
6 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
8Nancy Lee Turgasen Bates, and extend our sincere condolences
9her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
10further
11 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to the family of Nancy Bates as an expression of our
13deepest sympathy.