I am searching for information on the family of one Verna Lillian Bates, born 2 Apr 1922 in Santa Ana, California. She was married twice and had one daughter. Verna had a sister, Thelma, and a brother, Ralph. Her father was a Walter H. Bates, and he died in his 30s of cancer. Based on that Walter was probably born between 1890 and 1905. He was *probably* from Rhode Island, and may have had a sister named Rita. Her mother was a Florence Frasher, and after Walter's death she remarried. If this seems a bit vague, I'm sorry, but I am attempting to stick with verifiable facts, rather than work with the rumors and bits of family gossip her daughter has given me to to work with - particularly since Verna's rumors and family gossip, on the good days, bore little resemblance to verifiable reality. If anyone has any help, leads or suggestions, I would very grateful. I. Marc Carlson Reference Librarian, Tulsa Community College, West Campus LRC Reference Tech. McFarlin Library, University of Tulsa Tulsa, Oklahoma [email protected] C.a.r.l.s.o.n; B.a.t.e.s; P.h.i.l.l.i.p.s;L.a.g.r.o.n.e;J.e.n.k.i.n.s; K.n.i.p.p