Laverne Bates, 87, of Dimmitt passed away on Tuesday, June 4th 2013 in Dimmitt. Memorial services will be Saturday, June 8, 2013 at 10:00 am at the First United Methodist Church of Dimmitt with Larry Reece officiating. Arrangements are being handled by Colonial Funeral Home of Dimmitt. Laverne was born February 24, 1926 to James and Mary Hutchison in Tulia, Texas. Laverne grew up in Tulia and Canyon, Texas. She completed her education at West Texas State Teachers College. She taught for DISD from 1949 and retiring in 1987. She worked at the Dimmitt Country Club during her summers feeding her little woodpecker swimmers at the Country Club, she loved quilting, playing cards, and needle pointing. After her retirement she provided companionship to various elderly people throughout the community. She received The Dimmitt Citizen of the Year award and she enjoyed mentoring new teachers because teaching first graders was her passion and she always felt she wanted to be the "first" to give those children a good start in their educational experience. She was a member of the First united Methodist Church of Dimmitt. She is survived by her two daughters; Martha Richardson and husband Andy of Dimmitt and Jo Beth Wilson of Amarillo. Two sisters; Helen Ham of Canyon and Betty Morton of Dumas; four grandchildren; Chad McBrayer and wife Trisha and Seth McBrayer and wife Kaylee both of San Antonio; Amber Richardson of Muleshoe and Colt Richardson of Clovis and one great grandchild, Kennady Grace McBrayer of San Antonio. She is preceded in death by her husband, James "Rosy" Bates; two sisters, Juanita Buntin and Joan Hicks; three brothers, Charles, John and Howard Hutchison, who died in WWII and one great granddaughter, Bailey Devon McBrayer.