Obituary of Joan Elizabeth Gates

Joan Elizabeth Gates Wells, Vermont – Joan Elizabeth Gates passed away on March 28, 2025 at the Rutland Regional Medical Center after a brief illness. Joan was born in Bennington, Vermont, on January 14, 1935, the youngest daughter of the late Winnie Edward and Alice Jane (Becker) Gates. Joan grew up in a bustling and loving home with her four older siblings: Edward, Eleanor, George and Barbara. After graduating from Bennington High School in 1953, Joan attended the School of Nursing at Samaritan Hospital in Troy, New York, and became a Registered Nurse. She began her career at the Putnam Memorial Hospital in Bennington, Vermont, and later became the Head Nurse of the Hospital's East Wing. In keeping with her love for children, Joan enjoyed her later role as School Nurse at the Molly Stark School in Bennington, Vermont. In 1963 Joan's parents bought a small camp at Lake's End on Lake St. Catherine in Wells, Vermont. Other members of Joan's family purchased adjoining camps and the extended family spent every summer there. Over time the family members expanded their lake camps and the little enclave of summer camps eventually became their retirement homes. With the passing of her father Winnie, Joan lived with and cared for her mother Alice. Joan loved life and decided to take an early retirement to enjoy it. In her retirement, Joan learned to downhill ski and travelled the world extensively with her beloved friend Andrew Hetko until his passing in 1997. While living in Wells, Joan was an active member of the Wells United Methodist Church and the Wells Camp of the Modern Woodmen of America helping with summer carnivals, weekly bingo games, Church fund raising events and other MWA activities. Joan will best be remembered as a loving and devoted daughter, sibling and aunt. For her nieces and nephews, Aunt Joanie played the role of big sister and second parent. Joan enjoyed her loving family whether providing rides to school, playing cards or lawn games, swimming or waterskiing, hiking and mini golf, attending high school and college graduations, holiday dinners, birthdays, weddings and all manner of celebration. In addition to her parents, Joan was predeceased by her brother Edward Gates and his wife Mary; sister-in-law Joan P. Gates; and, brother-in law Frederick J. Pulver. Joan is survived by her siblings Eleanor Pulver of Wells, Vermont; George Gates of South Windsor, Connecticut; Barbara Bushee and husband Henry of Wells, Vermont; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Her family will receive friends on Friday, April 4, 2025 at the Robert M King Funeral Home, 23 Church St., Granville, NY. Calling hours will be from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. The funeral will be at 4 PM at the funeral home. Burial will be at the Park Lawn Cemetery in Bennington, Vermont at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Wells United Methodist Church.