Cemetery
Memorial Day Ceremony
Our Memorial Day Ceremony has become a cherished tradition in Bates Township. The ceremony is held at our Cemetery.* As you walk among the monuments you realize how much truth there was in the comments made by Ernest Schmidt, previous Bates Township Supervisor, at our ceremony held on May 26, 2008. He said, “We are very proud of our cemetery. Our treasures are buried here. These are our people. These are our memories.”
You are invited to join us every year. It is a time when we reflect and honor those who have fought for the freedoms that we enjoy today. We give thanks for those men and women who continue to serve this country. We pray for those families with Moms and Dads, Sons and Daughters, Brothers and Sisters that have served in our country’s military and have sacrificed so much, sometimes life itself. Let us not forget, we take this time to remember our township’s pioneers, our family members, our friends, our neighbors.
* The Memorial Day Ceremony is held at our Cemetery weather permitting. On the occasion that the weather does not cooperate the ceremony is held at the Township Hall.
Cemetery Decorations
We respectfully request that you remove all floral and decorative arrangements from the grave sites no later than October 15th each year.
Lot Prices
- Resident $300
- Non-Resident (with relative resident) $300
Burials – Casket
- Resident $400
- Non-Resident (with relative resident) $400
Burial – Cremation
- Resident $200
- Non-Resident (with relative resident) $200
Weekend Burial / Casket or Cremation
- Resident $600
- Non-Resident (with relative resident) $600
Storage
- Not Available
Removals
- Casket $400 plus fees* – weekend removal fees, if applicable
- Cremation $200 plus fees* – weekend removal fees, if applicable
*Fees, referred to above, are defined as any additional fees involved in the removal that may be incurred, established, or required by the Health Department.
History
“Bates Township Cemetery, located on the Bates-Amasa Road, was founded in 1887 when 2/3 of an acre of land was acquired from Pete Carlson. The need for a community cemetery was apparent as the newly organized township grew, and heretofore, the dead had been buried either in home plots or taken to the Iron River Cemetery for burial.
The cemetery was platted in 1888, and the deed was registered in 1909. In 1985, the Centennial Committee sponsored a memorial service on the cemetery grounds. Walter Helgemo, descendant of Olaf Helgemo, one of the organizers of the township, was the speaker, paying tribute to those early pioneers, saluting them for their perseverance through much adversity and citing the spirit and unity they established in the township. The cemetery was marked by a new large wooden sign in 1985, created by Tri-Co Industries of Iron Mountain.”
– This information was provided by the Bates Township Legacy Book 1885-1985.
Find a Loved One
The initial Find-a-Grave transcription was provided to Bates Township by Dale Safford. Through the tireless efforts of Ed and Hydee Benson, a thorough accounting of the gravesites was conducted, along with the corresponding documentation and information. The maintenance of updating has continued through the efforts of Ed and Clerk Barbara (Bee) Benson-Stafford. You can click on the link below to access an alphabetical listing of those living in our cemetery. You will also find some general information and the lot numbers in which they are buried.
Find-a-Grave Cemetery Listings
Veterans Names
Under construction.
Veteran’s Memorial Project
Under construction.
