Alexandra Bateman
Alexandra MacArthur Bateman passed away at her home in Ajijic on Friday, March 7, following a brief illness. She was 68 years old.
Born on January 20, 1957, in New York City, Alexandra was the daughter of John MacArthur (Jack) and Laura Woodruff Bateman. Her parents first visited Ajijic in 1952 for summer vacations and later settled here permanently in the 1970s. Alexandra and her four siblings spent much of their childhood between Ajijic and their family’s home in the Village district of New York City. She chose to remain in Ajijic for her entire adult life, where she cared for her parents in their later years.
Her father was an architect, painter and author who made significant contributions to the lakeside community, including the design of Lakeside Little Theatre’s building in San Antonio Tlayacapan. Her mother, Laura, was a writer, a patron of the arts, and the founder of Rincón del Arte, Ajijic’s first purpose-built gallery. She was also a founding member of the Music Appreciation Society and served as the organizing regent for the local Thomas Paine Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR).
Alexandra attended local elementary schools and the American School in Guadalajara before enrolling at the Universidad de Guadalajara’s School of Fine Arts, where she studied painting and sculpture.
Alex was well known and admired as a skilled equestrian, dedicating many years to training local young women in the practice of Mexican-style sidesaddle riding for the Escaramuza de Lago. A passionate animal lover, she cared for her own horses and rescued many stray animals over the years.
In addition to her love for animals, Alex was an avid reader, a talented cook, and an enthusiastic traveler. As a devoted student of lakeside history, she played an instrumental role in compiling texts for “Ajijic: 500 Years of Adventures,” published by the NSDAR Thomas Paine Chapter in 2011. This book includes chapters written by Alexandra and both of her parents, among others.
Alexandra was preceded in death by her father in 1999, her mother in 2004, her brother Christopher (Kit) in 1991, and her brother Anthony (Tony) in 2017. She is survived by her sisters Alice Bateman of Fort Worth, Texas, and Elizabeth Hinsdale Sola of Paris, France, along with their families; her sister-in-law María de Jesús Campos; nieces Sofia Abril, Azucena; and nephew Juanito Bateman Campos, all of Ajijic.
A memorial celebration of life was held on Thursday, March 13, at Ajijic’s Lienzo Charro. Her ashes will be interred at the Ajijic cemetery alongside the remains of her parents and brothers.