Obituary of Susan Jane Bate

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Susan Jane Bate, wife of Michael Butler, which occurred peacefully at 216 Germain Street, Saint John, NB, on April 1, 2003. Born October 7, 1950, she was the daughter of Dr. George Bate and the late Vera (Crummey) Bate. She leaves to mourn her husband, father, stepmother, Beverly, one stepson, Shane Butler of Kelowna, BC, one stepdaughter, Selena Butler of Miramichi, her sisters, Janet (William) Brittain of Vancouver, BC, and Christine (John) Webster of Bristol, England, her brother, Jim (Nadine) Bate of Durham, NS, half-sisters, Angela Bate of Ottawa, and Katherine Bate of Toronto, six nephews, two nieces, and one great-nephew. She was a niece to Mary and Tom Foster, Margaret Anne and Gerry Langmaid, Dorothea Pinch, Olga and Rory Grant, John and Sharon Bate, Peter and Mary Sinclair, Chris and Phil Maddigan, and Bert and Sue Crummey. She will be missed by her many cousins. Susan graduated from Saint John High School, where her life-long interest in theatre was nourished. From Dalhousie University, she received degrees in Arts and Education. She had a very successful teaching career at Rothesay Junior High, Quispamsis Junior High, and Harbour View High School, where she continued her interest in theatre, inspiring her students to write and perform plays. She received the Governor General Award for excellence in teaching. Community Theatre was her passion. She founded the New City Theatre Company, where she directed and produced dozens of plays. Susan was instrumental in convincing fellow theatre enthusiast, Jack MacDougall, to establish the Bi Capital Project Inc., to save the Imperial Theatre. She was honoured by Heritage Saint John for her significant contribution in supporting the City's heritage through her theatre company. Her many interests included painting, gardening, reading, dancing, and the love of the outdoors. She treasured her many friends, who in return treasured her. Resting at Brenan's Select Community Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John, NB, (506) 634-7424, with visiting on Wednesday from 7-9 PM and Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. Funeral service will be held from St. Paul's (Valley) Anglican Church, on Friday, April 4, 2003 at 2:00 PM. Interment will take place at St. Luke's Cemetery at a later date. Remembrances to the Harbour View High School Scholarship Fund, 305 Douglas Avenue, Saint John, NB E2K 1E5, in memory of Susan Bate, or donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or Rethink Breast Cancer, 21 Grenville Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON M4Y 1A1. www.brenansfh.com