Laura Ann Bateman

Laura Ann Bateman, 53, of Newton, Alabama went to be with the Lord on December 7, 2019 at 10:40pm. Funeral services will be held 1pm Saturday, December 14, 2019 in Sunset Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside services with military honors will follow in Sunset Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 12 noon until 1pm Saturday. In Lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Therapy Dog International, 88 Bartley Flanders Road B, Flanders NJ 07836, Wiregrass Church, 900 West Main Street, Dothan, AL 36301 and Windham Elementary School, 200 Heritage Dr, Daleville, AL 36322. She was born to Nancy Nelson and the late James William Nelson on Sep. 12, 1966 at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Laura graduated from Northview High School in Dothan, Alabama in 1984. Laura was an active duty Air Force member from 1988 to 1992. She was stationed in Germany. She participated in Desert Shield/Storm from 1990 to 1992. She explored the world while skiing the Swiss Alps as well as spending summers in Munich, Germany. Laura received a Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology from Minot State University in 1996. She worked as a phlebotomist at Flowers Hospital for a short time before beginning a career as a speech therapist at Girard Elementary/Middle School in 2005. She transferred to Windham Elementary School in Daleville beginning in 2018. Laura was an active member and volunteer of Wiregrass Church in Dothan, Alabama. She loved the ocean, sun, and waves which always put her at peace. Gardening was her favorite hobby, as well as training her furry companions to be therapy dogs. Pedicures were her favorite therapeutic activity, and she enjoyed playing card games with her family. One thing that always brightened her spirit was dancing, especially the waltz to Strawberry Wine. She had an adventurous heart taking her on cruises to Alaska and the Bahamas, among other destinations that led her to scuba diving, kayaking, and horseback riding on the beach. Laura is survived by her husband Daniel Bateman, her three children; Aiden, Noah, and Claire O'Toole; her mother, Nancy Nelson; and her three brothers, Mark (Jan) Nelson, Eric (Anna) Nelson, and Matthew (Stephanie) Nelson. Burial Date December 14, 2019 Funeral services will be held 1pm Saturday, December 14, 2019 in Sunset Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside services with military honors will follow in Sunset Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 12 noon until 1pm Saturday. In Lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Therapy Dog International, 88 Bartley Flanders Road B, Flanders NJ 07836, Wiregrass Church, 900 West Main Street, Dothan, AL 36301 and Windham Elementary School, 200 Heritage Dr, Daleville, AL 36322.