Dorothy Louise (Dottie) Flinn Gates
Dorothy Louise (Dottie) Gates passed away peacefully in the night at the age of 85 on Monday, July 31 st , 2023.
Dottie was born December 6 th , 1937, in Jewell, Kansas, to her parents John Harold Flinn and Ava Louise Owen. In Jewell County, Kansas, she had many aunts, uncles, two grandmothers, and many cousins that she played with and had fond memories of. She moved to Twin Falls, Idaho with her family in 1946. She graduated from Twin Falls High School in 1954, went on to become a Registered Nurse in Idaho (1958) and in Kansas (1959). She worked over 40 years at St. Alphonsus Hospital as a ‘Floating Registered Nurse’, meaning she had versatile skills and worked on every floor.
While in nurses training, she met James (Frank) Gates. They were married in Twin Falls, Idaho on April 10, 1959. They settled in Boise and raised 4 children: Betty, Dean, Sally and Wade. They all traveled together in a chevy station wagon across the country in 1972 for 6 weeks, visiting families on both sides and stopping at nearly every museum and roadside historical sight.
Dottie liked to travel, loved to search for rocks, driftwood, dinosaur bones, and arrowheads. She logged many trips camping and fishing. Gardening and growing flowers was a passion, having lovely large lilac trees and many colorful zinnias. Frank and Dottie square danced with friends from all over the valley for many years. Playing cards, puzzles, and board games were a favorite pastime all her life. She was a Girl Scout leader. She enjoyed her group of ‘coffee ladies’: friends in adventures and prayers.
She was loved by all that met her and will be greatly missed. Dottie is survived by children: Betty (Craig) Fredericksen, Dean Gates, Sally Richlin, and Wade Gates; 8 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
In place of flowers, consider donating to your favorite charity.
A funeral service will be held at 12:00 pm, noon, on Friday, August 4, 2023, at Bowman Funeral Parlor, 10254 W. Carlton Bay Dr. in Garden City, with visitation beginning at 11:30 am. Burial will follow at Dry Creek Cemetery in Boise.
To watch the funeral service, please visit: https://vimeo.com/850641302?share=copy
To watch Dottie’s memorial tribute video, please visit: https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/XQPYLPKNJJ28QFJ7
Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.