Wilma Bateman
Wilma Bateman lived in Loogootee, Indiana, all her life, graduating from St. John High School in 1955. Though Wilma had a competitive nature, she didn’t participate in athletics growing up as, at the time, St. John offered no competitive sports for female athletes. Nevertheless, Wilma’s competitive spirit played a distinct role in her well-lived life.
Shortly after graduation, Wilma married Jim Bateman. Jim and Wilma raised six children, all of whom were involved in sports while attending Loogootee High School. Wilma got no greater pleasure in life than watching her children compete in sports from grade school through high school. As an adult, Wilma finally had the opportunity to compete in tennis and golf leagues winning many trophies along the way.
It was her love of tennis that was passed down to the two youngest of their children, Samantha and Chris, who became quite accomplished in their own rights at Loogootee High School. Chris was a standout on one of the best Loogootee tennis teams in its history. Samantha had an outstanding career at LHS and was awarded a four-year scholarship to play tennis at Kentucky Wesleyan College. In so doing, Samantha was the first LHS tennis player to play the sport in college. Wilma’s love of tennis was also passed on to three of her granddaughters, all of whom played tennis at LHS.
Later in life Wilma picked up a golf club and fell hard for the sport. She played every day she could until her passion was interrupted by a diagnosis of lung cancer in 2005. Though her doctors gave her only 12-18 months to live, her love of life was so strong she lived for five years after her diagnosis. While her disease slowed her down, she continued to play golf when she could. In fact, just two months prior to her passing, she captured the Senior League Golf Championship at the Lakeview Golf Course at West Boggs.
The Wilma L. Bateman Memorial Scholarship was established to honor Wilma’s memory and to provide a legacy to help young female athletes in whatever their college aspirations may be.