One can learn a lot from nature and the country. Looking at blossoms of a dogwood tree can impart that beauty does not have to come from products of magazines; in fact, beauty is most powerful when simplistic and natural. Witnessing a mother doe looking after a fawn in a shady grove can teach that a mother’s love and care is firm and innate. Feeling the gentle, warm breeze move across the pasture can instill the belief that despite all the chaos in life, hope and love will find a way just as wind finds its way through the trees and hills. Imarene Bailey, a country girl through and through, learned these powerful lessons which she taught to her loved ones all around her. For this, her loved ones are most blessed.
Imarene Bailey came into this world to her parents, T.J. and Janie “Ronda” Bailey, on May 25, 1938. As a child, she helped work on their home place in Hawkins, Texas. The work was hard, but Imarene enjoyed being outside. When she was not outside doing chores, she could be found in the kitchen where she did some of her best work- Cooking. Helping was just one of the many characteristics that came naturally to Imarene Bailey. Of course she helped her family, but she went a step further; after graduating from high school, Imarene enrolled in nursing school to help others. Imarene soon met Mr. Gordon Anders at the young age of 19 and later married. They divorced after a few years, only to come back to each other and marry again. With their second try, the love in their hearts made something wonderful—their only child and treasure, Milly. Imarene put nursing to the side to be a mom and eventually returned to Hawkins with Gordon and Milly to live in the house where she grew up. They owned a convenience store called “Milly’s Drive-In” after their daughter. As a family, they ran the store until Gordon and Imarene went their separate ways again. However, the popular saying “True love has a habit of coming back” remained true for Imarene and Gordon. Although they never got married again to each other, they still loved each other as they raised their daughter and watched her grow. As Imarene started a new chapter in her life, she went back to her roots in East Texas and started working as a nurse at the Hawkins Nursing home. She used her sweet, loving heart and soft-spoken voice to care for and work with elderly patients. Working with nursing home patients was indeed Imarene’s true calling. In her later years she enjoyed working in her yard, playing games and volunteering at Meals-on-Wheels. Eventually, she came to Dallas, Texas where she lived closer to her daughter, her son-in-law, Jeff, and her precious granddaughter, Hannah. As her only granddaughter, Hannah became the apple of Imarene a.k.a. “Gommie’s” eye. She took care of Hannah as a baby and loved cooking her Chicken-n-Dumplin’s. Hannah and her significant impact on Gommie’s life kept Imarene going in the last ten years of her life.
To the sorrow of her family, Imarene Bailey passed away on Sunday, October 2, 2016 in Dallas, Texas after living 78 wonderful years. Imarene is survived by in this life by her beloved daughter, Milly, and her husband, Jeff. She is also survived by her sweet granddaughter, Hannah and numerous nieces, nephews and Jeff’s family who adopted her with love. Imarene is preceded in death by her parents, T.J. and Ronda Bailey; her brothers, Pat and John Bailey; and by Gordon Anders.
A graveside service for Imarene will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2016 at 10:00 AM in Hawkins City Cemetery. Imarene will be laid to rest near her brother, Pat Bailey.
The family asks those who wish to memorialize Mrs. Imarene Bailey to make donations to Community Hospice of Texas or Meals-on-Wheels East Texas in lieu of flowers.
Imarene lived her life in such a natural, pure, genuine way, just as she loved her family and special friends in that same authentic fashion. Her memory and love will forever be shared and cherished within her family. The world and nature itself was made so much more beautiful and bright by the life and lessons of Imarene Bailey.
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