January 3, 1954 – December 5, 2024

Brenda Bateman was born January 3, 1954, in Malvern Arkansas, to A.J. Hatley and Johnnie Porterfield Hatley. Her family moved to Lancaster, Texas when Brenda was a young child. She graduated from Lancaster High School, where she met the group of friends who led her to the Lord. She attended Jacksonville College and Texas Woman's University, where she earned her degree in nursing. Brenda first met Paul Bateman in spring of 1975, while she was still in Jacksonville. They dated two years before becoming engaged, and, May 20, 1978, they married in Arlington, Texas, where they made their home. Six months after Paul and Brenda married, three boys ages 16, 15 and 9 needed a place to stay. In Brenda's words, "The boys were a perfect fit for our family. Half Chinese. Half American. It felt like they had been ours forever."

Brenda was a multi-tasker. While working several years as a surgical nurse and pediatric hospice nurse, Brenda would help Paul in his automotive business. In 1993, Paul was diagnosed with a blood disorder, similar to leukemia. Brenda took care of him, with the help of his parents and brothers. During this time, Brenda attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, earning her Master of Arts in Christian Education. She joined the staff of Arlington Chinese Church as the Children’s Minister, serving there from 1997 to 2018. Paul died in April, 2010.

In 2019, after retiring from the Chinese church, Brenda decided she wanted to move to Jacksonville, Texas. She rented an apartment in Jacksonville with plans to move there. However, her daddy-in-law became very ill, and Brenda stayed to take care of his medical needs. She spent weekdays in Arlington, and weekends in Jacksonville. In December, 2020, Brenda was diagnosed with breast cancer. After her daddy-in-law’s death in 2021, and after completing radiation treatments, Brenda sold her Arlington home and moved to Jacksonville full time.

Brenda had the heart of a true volunteer. And her volunteerism wasn’t “once a week or once a month” positions. Just to name a few…

• Active in Arlington Clergy & Police Partnership (ACAPP), which often involved riding with a police officer on calls that involved family disputes where children were present
• Vitas Hospice volunteer, sitting with HIV/AIDS patients
• Mentoring young women, college and professional, on a regular basis
• First Baptist Church Jacksonville “Disciple World” team leader
• Jacksonville College Alumni Board
• Jacksonville College Board of Trustees
• Volunteer at the local animal shelter

Brenda also wrote a weekly blog on her Facebook page, “Pathway Parables”, reflections of her connections to God through the world He created.

Brenda was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Bateman; parents, A.J. and Johnnie Hatley; father- and mother-in-law, BMA Missionary Jack and LaTrell Bateman; and nephew Thomas Bateman. She is survived by brothers-in-law John (Kathy) Bateman, Mark Bateman; Bruce Bateman; and sister-in-law Ann (Dan) Toepperwein; sons, John Chu, Bill (Deanna) Chu, Marshall Chu; and six grandchildren, Erin, Evan, Elissa, Elana, Cameron and Hayden; Aunt Sally Morgan; Aunt Micky Shatkin, many, many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Brenda also leaves many children, including many who are now adults, whom she taught, mentored and loved, in her ministry in the name of Jesus Christ.

Brenda's memorial service will be Saturday, January 4, 2025, 1:00pm at First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, TX.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to

Jacksonville College

https://jacksonvillecollege.edu/give/

105 B.J. Albritton Drive

Jacksonville TX 75766

or

First Baptist Church Children's Ministry

210 Philip Street

Jacksonville TX 75766