Frances Elizabeth Lyles Gates Born May 29, 1911, in Alvord, Texas, Frances Lyles Gates grew up in the towns of Aubrey, Argyle, and Denton, Texas. She attended high school in Denton and majored in art at what is now the University of North Texas, She began teaching in Dayton, Texas, in 1929, and in 1933 moved to League City upon her marriage to Dave L. Gates, a teacher and later superintendent of schools until 1943. She and her husband moved to Dickinson in 1947, where he was an executive with the Citizens State Bank from 1943 to 1967, when they moved to Huntsville. In 1974 they returned to League City. Mr. Gates, Sr., died in April, 1987. Frances continued to be a practicing artist until her 92nd year. Her fine ceramic Santas have been collected by many people in the area, for many years, as have her Pennsylvania German fraktur pen-and-ink-and-watercolor drawings. Her hand-cast and hand-painted ceramic fruits and vegetables and reproduction antique spatterware china are well known and can be found in private collections from New England to California as well as the Houston area. Mrs. Gates died unexpectedly but peacefully in her sleep mid-morning on Wednesday, June 29, 2005, exactly one month after her 94th birthday. She was at Baywind Village Care Center in League City, where she received excellent care from the staff, many of whom she grew very fond of. She is survived by her only son, Dr. Dave L. Gates, Jr., who has cared for her in recent years; daughter-in-law Claire, and grandsons Caton and Ian, and Caton's mate Abigail Larsen, all of Portland, Oregon; and niece Judy Bramlett of the Woodlands. Mrs. Gates herself requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Helen Hall Library at 100 W. Walker, League City, TX 77573. Pallbearers: Caton Gates, Dr. Ian Gates, Jack O’Neill. Paul Helm. Honorary Pallbearers: Charles Hall, Charles Hall, Jr., Randy Hall (in absentia), Sam Hall, W. G. Hall, Jr., Jourman “Jim” Hobbs, Lloyd Medsger, David Hyde. Frances gates with her two grandsons