Hunmanby volunteer Edna Bates who retired on her 100th birthday passes away aged 102

Mrs Bates was well known in the village after spending 21 years working as a volunteer for Saint Catherine’s Hospice, only stepping down two years ago on her 100th birthday.

Mrs Bates was born on September 18, 1920 in the tiny South Wales village of Marcross.

She married her husband of 51 years Robert (Bob) Bates on April 26, 1943 at St Bartholomew’s Church in Armley, Leeds.

Mr Bates was in the Royal Corps of Signals and drove 10-tonne trucks, serving in Africa, then later in Sicily.

During the Second World War, Mrs Bates joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (which later merged into the Women’s Royal Army Corps) and learned to become a height finder with the Royal Artillery.

As a height finder it was her role to determine the altitude of an aircraft, which was then used to direct anti-aircraft guns.

Mrs Bates served with the Heavy Anti-Aircraft (or ‘Ak Ak’) Battery next and when it was disbanded she went to Edinburgh - on her own - to learn telephony.

She was posted to South Queensbury to another regiment as a telephonist, then posted to Golders Green as a clerk, before transferring to Cardiff and finally to Hereford to be discharged when the war in Europe ended.

Mr Bates was still abroad at this stage and his wife was living with his parents.

Mrs Bates got a job driving trams in Leeds and occasionally did the Elland Road run when football was on - which she enjoyed immensely as she was a Leeds United supporter!

The couple eventually took over the family’s greengrocers’ shop in Armley in 1952 and stayed there for 16 years, in the days when cheese and butter were still sold by the slab and wrapped in paper.

The couple ran other shops in the Leeds area and retired in 1985 to Hunmanby.

Sadly, Mr Bates passed away in October 1994 and rests in God’s Acre.

During her life Mrs Bates raised hundreds of pounds for the upkeep of God’s Acre by holding coffee mornings and raffles.

She was a steward at the Methodist Chapel for 25 years officiating at various functions, and retired from that duty aged 98.

Mrs Bates was very proud of her work at the Saint Catherine’s charity shop in Hunmanby and made many friends over the 21 years she was a volunteer.

Speaking in 2020 at her 100th birthday celebration, Mrs Bates divulged the secret to a long and happy life, she said: “Well it’s not about whiskey or anything like that!

“It’s down to good old-fashioned working – just don’t stop.

“Keep working and your mind will always stay active.”

Mrs Bates funeral will be held on Tuesday December 6 at 1pm at Cross Hill Methodist Church and afterwards at 2.30pm at Octon Cremation for the committal service, buffet and refreshments provided.

Donations in lieu of flowers to the Air Ambulance at Mrs Bates’ request.

Further enquiries to Unsworth Funeral Services in Hunmanby.