Kae Ramsay Bates

Kae Ramsay Bates died peacefully at home surrounded by her wife and family on August 23. Karla Kae was born to Carl & Alyce Hoover Ramsay on April 20, 1943 in Roseau near the Hoover family home on Lake of the Woods in Minnesota. She loved the lake and being part of the family’s commercial fishing and mink raising business. Her fondest childhood memories were at the lake with her many cousins —and it is to Lake of the Woods that her parents’ remains were returned.

After his service in the Navy in WWII, the Ramsay family lived in Indiana and then settled in Anaheim, CA in 1955. There were still orange groves and Disneyland Hotel was under construction—with her father’s able supervision. Kae worked at Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm during high school and while she attended Cal. State Univ. at Long Beach. There she received a BSN in Nursing with a School Nurse credential. Later she earned a second Master’s degree in Counseling at Dominican University in San Rafael, CA.

In 1966 she married William Brandon Bates and worked in Public Health while they moved around the country during his training and military service during the Vietnam era. In 1977 after that marriage ended she moved to Santa Cruz, CA where she worked as a School Nurse with Special Education students. That’s where she met and fell in love with Jeanne St.John, her life partner and wife of 34 years. Together they initiated, researched and taught PRES (Physical Response Education Systems) a method for using acupressure in classrooms to reduce stress, and to improve behavior and academic achievement.

Kae and Jeanne moved to Lincoln County in 1990 where Kae worked as the only LCSD school nurse for 18 schools until she retired in 2000. In those pre-computer years she was widely known for having the most current and complete nursing info on any topic. During retirement she contributed professionally by serving on the County’s Public Health Advisory Board; and has been an active member of PFLAG and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Waldport. She also pursued her passion for nature as a gardener, photographer, and world traveler. Kae is survived by her wife, Jeanne St. John and their little dog, Annie; stepson Jean Hubert (Mary); grandson Devon Hubert; sister Rebecca Ferree (Tom); and many beloved nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Sat., Sept. 10 at 1:30pm at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church just south of Waldport near Range Dr., followed at 3pm by a Celebration of Life at Shelter Me on Hwy 34 in Waldport. Friends are encouraged to wear colorful/rainbow attire. Gifts in her memory may be made to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church for the new Outdoor Worship Space, at PO Box 422, Waldport, OR 97394; or to PFLAG OCC, PO Box 2172, Newport, OR, 97365.
 

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