Luise Lena Graalfs Bates

Luise Graalfs Bates of Petaluma and Merced was born to Sophie and Dietrich Graalfs in San Francisco, California, 93 years ago; and passed into rest in Merced, California, on August 12, 2021.

Luise was a bright, creative spirit, an artist with a beautiful singing voice. She was a public school teacher in San Francisco and Pacifica. She also spoke four languages, including Japanese and Spanish, which she used on the many trips abroad that she enjoyed with her beloved husband, Thomas. Her home is filled with the many beautiful paintings she created over the years, as well as a collection of mementos and artifacts from her and Thomas’s adventures together.

Luise earned her BA in Romance Languages and her teaching credential from UC Berkeley; and her MA in Humanities from San Francisco State. In her retirement years, she worked as a docent at the Avery Brundage Collection in the De Young Museum, teaching art history and Japanese calligraphy to all ages. She also served alongside Thomas as a guide at the Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma, California. Luise met and married the love of her life, Thomas Hobson Bates, in San Francisco in 1953, knowing at first sight that they would be together forever, and so they were for 66 years and are again today.

Luise is survived by daughter Sylvia Bates Christiansen Smith of Merced; son Gregory Thomas Bates (Saira) of Napa; grandchildren Jenna (Joshua), Steven (Crystal), Timothy (Melissa), Nicholas, Jennifer, Chanda (Nate), Sabina, Uma; seven great grandchildren; and a half sister, Maria. She is preceded in death by her parents, Sophie and Dietrich Graalfs; and her beloved husband of 66 years, Thomas Hobson Bates, Jr.

A private celebration of Luise’s life will be held at a later date. Those who wish to contribute in Luise’s name may give to UC Berkeley, at https://give.berkeley.edu/; San Francisco State University at https://develop.sfsu.edu/makeagift; the Humane Society of Sonoma County at https://humanesocietysoco.org/donate/; or the De Young Museum in San Francisco at https://deyoung.famsf.org/give.

.