Eve Mary Bates

Eve Mary Bates September 18, 1918 - March 18, 2016 Eve Mary Bates, 97, St. Augustine, peacefully passed away in the comfort of her own home March 18, 2016, surrounded by the love of her entire family.She was born Sept. 18, 1918, to Lithuanian immigrant parents, Bruns John and Antonina Widzenas, in Camden, New Jersey. In her own words Eve said, "I am the farmer's daughter who married the traveling salesman and have to admit that I've led a long, busy, interesting and totally enjoyable life." Eve was a woman with many talents and during her long life she wore many hats.After her marriage to Linwood T. Bates in 1940, she and her family relocated many times due to her husband's business. She and Linwood finally settled in St. Augustine in 1980 after a decade of living in Jacksonville Beach.After she was widowed, she earned a GED at age 72, and earned an associate of arts degree from St. Johns Community College at age 74. Eve's children were surprised to find that their mother had never graduated from high school, having left to go to work because of poverty. Up until entering first grade, Eve spoke only Lithuanian on her family farm where she learned many skills.She was a fabulous homemaker and heralded cook, real estate agent, long-time newspaper reporter, volunteer Red Cross driver, a toastmaster, local taleteller, and an actress in the annual State Play and Passion Play. She was a master gardener, and even an avid member of the UFO club, having had her own unusual experiences. She enjoyed traveling, visiting Iceland at age 93, and Machu Picchu at 88 saying, "I've seen all of the world I've ever wanted to see." Trophies for golf championships lined her shelves, but in later years she was content to hike mountains and take long swims in her cherished Atlantic, where she used to frolic as a child at the Jersey shore.Most people in St. Augustine would recognize Eve as the fisherwoman wearing a visor who always caught the biggest one. If she wasn't on Vilano's Porpoise Point casting for mullet bait, or on now-closed-to-traffic Anastasia Island beach sitting next to her beach buggy with two or three lines out while reading a book, she was at a favorite tidal inlet somewhere in the marshes catching crabs. In her later years she was a regular on the St. Johns Pier where she could be found whenever the fish were running. Before moving to St. Augustine, Mrs. Bates fished and worked for a decade as a ""bait"" girl on the Jax Beach Pier.Eve was also a published author. All five of her books can be found and ordered on Amazon.com.They are: "Sudiev (Goodbye)," the biographical saga of her Lithuanian family coming to America; "Speckled Tales and Other Dimensions" and "More Speckled Tales,"" two collections of short stories; ""The Pier,"" about life on the Jax Beach fishing pier; and ""Meet the Countrymen of My Parents," history and folktales of Lithuania that Eve published just before her passing. All proceeds from Eve's books go directly to a memorial fund at Rutgers University that she set up to honor her Lithuanian-American farming parents. This scholarship is awarded annually to a person who studies earth-related subjects.Prior to her death, Eve arranged to donate her body to medical research at University of Florida College of Medicine. Eve was pre-deceased by brother Frank, and survived by sister Carolyn.She is also survived by daughter Evelynne Bates (Leslie) Stoklosa; grandchildren Phillip (Christine) Stoklosa and Kristine (Wiam) Bshara; and great-grandsons Jonathan and Adam. Also survived by daughter Teza (Carter) Lord, step-grandchildren Fonya Lord and Cully Lord; and step-great-grandson Carter.The family is forever grateful to the loving and supportive staff at Samantha Wilson Center at Bayview and Vitas Hospice for such excellent care of our beloved Eve.A celebration of life will be offered at a later date. Anyone wishing to know of this event can write [email protected]. Eve Bates memorial donations may be payable to: Rutger's University / Office of Gift Planning memo: Widzenas Annual Memorial Fund Send contributions to: Matt Adams, V.P. Gift Planning Rutger's University Winants Hall 7 College Ave. New Brunswick, New Jersey 8901 phone: (848) 932 2234 email: [email protected]St. Johns Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com