Irma Fay Bateman
  BRIDGEPORT -- Irma Fay Bateman, age 95 years, two months and 23 days, died Thursday, Jan. 22, 2004, at Regional West Medical Center. Her funeral service will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 24, at The Jolliffe Funeral Home Chapel in Bridgeport. Interment will be at Oregon Trail Memorial Cemetery at Bridgeport.
  Visitation will be from noon to 7 p.m. today; Saturday, 8 a.m. until service time, at the funeral home. Memorials may be make in Irma's memory to the Leukemia Foundation of America or the donor's choice. Condolences may be sent to sympathy@jolliffefuneralhome.com.
  She was born Oct. 30, 1908, in Oconto, the daughter of Daniel J. and Emma (Anders) Brown. As a yound child, the family settled in Bridgeport, coming from Oregon via the train, where they homesteaded northeast of Bridgeport in Morrill County. Irma graduated from Bridgeport High School with the Class of 1926.
  She was united in marriage to Ernie A. Bateman on March 10, 1927, at Bridgeport. The couple farmed northeast of Bridgeport, raising their three sons. They "retired" and moved into Bridgeport in 1960. They were known for raising and selling their garden produce. Irma enjoyed canning and raising flowers; winning numerousribbons at the Morrill County Fair each year. She meticulously cared for her garden flowers, which included glasiolas, peonies, dahlias and tiger lilies. She was an excellent seamstress and was known for her goose down pillows and bonnets. Irma enjoyed fishing with her family and friends.
  Irma is survived by her sons, Glen Bateman of Scottsbluff and Gene Bateman and his wife Faye of Bridgeport; daughter-in-law Sandra Bateman of Arizona; sister-in-law Betty Brown of Gering; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren; nieces; nephews; and numerous extended family members.
  She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Ernie in 1991; son Donald M. Bateman in 1972; daughter-in-law Barbara Bateman in 2003; brothers, Cecil and Kenneth "Bud" Brown; and sisters, Haazel Brown and Ella Mae "Babe" Sanburn.