Bernice Grigg Bateson

Bernice Mae Bateson was born in West Liberty, IA, the daughter of Chester and Lela (Rabe) Grigg. She graduated from West Liberty High School and attended Coe College. She received a bachelor’s degree in home economics education in 1928 from Iowa State University, and a master’s degree in sociology in 1967 from ISU. On March 16, 1933 she married Rexford Bateson in West Liberty.

Mrs. Bateson was a teacher and principal at Bagley High School from 1928-1930; extension home economist for Hardin and Franklin counties from 1930-1933; and assistant state leader for home economics programs for ISU Extension. She was named in Who’s Who of American Women; served as judge at local state and county fairs; president of the Golden Tassel Council of Girl Scouts; judge of Iowa community betterment projects; served on the Ames-Gilbert United Way Board; retirement council for faculty of ISU; Northcrest Retirement Community Foundation; Board of Story County Council on Aging; chairwoman of Story County Coalition of Senior Citizens; Foundation Board for Youth and Shelter Services; president of Ames AAUW; president of the PEO chapter FA and president of the Iowa Home Economics Association.

Mrs. Bateson also served as president, secretary, advisory board chairwoman, state presiden,t and province president for the Kappa Delta sorority. In 1983 she received the ISU Helen Le Baron Hilton Award for outstanding community leadership. In 1984 Mrs. Bateson was awarded the Outstanding Older Iowan Award at the Governor’s Conference on Aging, and in 1986 she received the Order of the Emerald Award from the Kappa Delta sorority. Mrs. Bateson had been a resident of Ames since 1967.

8/16/97