Connie Jane Bates

Connie Jane Randall Bates of Ithaca passed away on September30, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Connie was born on June 22,1944, to Merton Tucker and Eunice Jane Randall of Morrisville, Vermont. As the fourth of five children, she felt blessed that she had two older brothers, an older sister, and a younger sister that she counted as her best friends throughout her life. Her early years were filled with multiple jobs that ensured that she would interact with people – from soda jerk to Bijou Movie Theatre “Popcorn Queen.” She was active in all school extra-curricular activities that centered around acting and singing. These experiences started her love affair with Broadway, off-Broadway and local theater. With her loving presence and deep affection for people, it was inevitable that she would pursue a career in nursing after graduating from Peoples Academy High School. After completing her studies at Thompson School of Nursing in Brattleboro, Vermont, Connie accepted a position at the Mary Fletcher Hospital in Burlington, Vermont where she met her future husband, Dr. Paul Bates, and embarked on a union that would span over 54 years. After their wedding, they moved to New York City where Paul completed his OB/GYN residency and Connie continued nursing in the “Big Apple.” While in New York City, they started their family with the birth of Allyssa Jane. It was a difficult decision for Connie and Paul but they agreed that she would put her nursing career on hold to dedicate her time to making a home for her expanding family—a decision she never regretted. Once Paul completed his residency in New York, it was off to Fort Huachuca, Arizona for Paul to complete his obligation to the US Army. It was there they expanded their family further with the addition of their son, Christopher Paul. Connie would often say that the years they spent in Arizona were filled with some of her fondest memories. After completing their commitments in Arizona, they considered multiple locations to settle down and join a practice. Throughout these moves and varied experiences, Connie flourished in her roles of wife and mother. The decision to move to Ithaca exceeded their expectations. They were committed to their community and watched as their children grew into young adulthood. She met life-long friends and she cherished their shared experiences. She enjoyed wonderful adventures with her “Broadway Babes,” book clubs, and ski trips and other travels, and volunteering for several of the kids’ activities. The loss of her laugh, thoughtfulness, optimism, wisdom and high energy will be deeply felt by not only her family but the many friends that she has collected through her all too short lifetime. Connie was preceded in death by her husband, Paul, her parents, four siblings, three nephews, two brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law. She is survived by her daughter, Allyssa J. Bates of Framingham, MA; son, Christopher P. Bates of Ithaca; sister, Linda E. Randall of Marietta, GA; sister-in-law, Eleanor R. Randall of Morrisville, VT; brother-in-law, Ronald J. Bates (Mary Ann) of Dudley, MA; sister-in-law, Joan M. Kotwica (Paul) of Barneveld, NY; and brother-in- law, Donald M. Bates of Rome, NY. She is also survived by many treasured nieces and nephews, whom she loved spoiling with her homemade ginger snap cookies. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, October 16th at 11:00 AM at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 309Siena Drive, Ithaca, with a reception and party to follow in the parish center. All are welcome. The service will be live-streamed via a link on St. Catherine’s website:https://stcathofsiena.org and will be available for several weeks after the mass:https://boxcast.tv/channel/izrxkpfemabzytva9yukIn lieu of flowers, please consider donating to charities that were important to Connie: Hospicarehttps://www.hospicare.org/donate/, Cancer Resource Centerhttps://crcfl.net/ and The SPCA of Tompkins County, a no-kill shelter where several family pets were adopted from: http://www.spcaonline.com.