Frances Bates

Frances Lee Bates, 48, of Alto, NM passed away Tuesday, December 11, 2018 in Las Cruces, NM. She was born November 11, 1970 in El Paso, Texas to Steve Austin and Yvonne Darling Austin.

She moved to Ruidoso in 1978 from El Paso, she married Stephen Bates on May 5, 1996 in Middletown, Connecticut and they moved to Ruidoso in 1999.

Frances had a beautiful, loving, caring soul and always put others in need above herself. She had a love of helping animals or anyone in need and spent most of her career in the Home Hospice field. Everyone that knew Frances knew she was a person that you could go to for anything, her personality and charisma lit up any room she stepped into and being around her made anyone feel happy and whole. She was loving Mother, Wife, Sister, Daughter, Grand Mother, Friend, Caretaker and role model to so many, and her mark that she left on this world will live on in the lives of all people and animals she touched.

She is survived by her husband, Stephen; son, Stephen D. Bates of San Diego, CA; two daughters, Kymberly Newton and Samantha Temple both of Ruidoso; a sister, Stephanie Austin-Kobaly of Ruidoso and seven grandchildren.

Her memorial service will be Saturday, December 22, at 11:00 A.M. in the First Southern Baptist Church of Ruidoso Downs with Brian Wilson officiating.

The family has requested memorials to the Lincoln County Humane Society or your local animal shelter.

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