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Submitted: 11/6/15 • Approved: 11/17/15 • Last Updated: 11/20/15 • R1107690-G1107690-S3
Army Chemical Warfare Service
World War II Civilian Technician
March 29, 1923 - November 27, 2009
Obituary
rollerfuneralhome.com
Gloria H. Bailey, 86, passed away on November 27, 2009 after a long, courageous battle with breast cancer. She was born on March 29, 1923, the younger of two daughters of Elsie Patt and William A. Hayes. In 1942, she graduated valedictorian from Western High School in Baltimore, Maryland, an all girls’ school with a senior class of 550. She was awarded a scholarship to Johns Hopkins University, an all-male university, where she majored in chemistry. She attended classes in the evening since day classes were reserved for men. During World War II she worked for Edgewood Arsenal, a division of the Department of War, in Chemical Warfare.
In 1944 Edgewood Arsenal transferred Gloria to Bushnell, Florida, where chemical warfare testing was performed under tropical conditions. She was the first woman Edgewood Arsenal sent to work in Florida. Gloria met her husband, Tom, who was serving in the U S Army. Their first date was May 15, 1945, and they married on October 27, 1945 in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
After the war ended, Tom & Gloria moved to Chicago where she worked for the Reconstruction Finances Corp., a division of the War Assets Administration, selling off surplus war materials. From 1951 to 1954 she worked for the Dickson Gun Plant, a division of Hughes Tool.
Gloria was the loving mother of five children: William T. Bailey, Susie Mary Patt Bailey Miller and husband Lewis, Jack H. Bailey and wife Gail, Ronald C. Bailey and wife Sherrye, and Bonnie Bailey Tucker and husband Stan. Grandchildren include Sabrina Miller Taylor, Dane & Bryce Bailey, Cameron Bailey & Brandon Simmons, Holly & Jarod Tucker, great grandchildren Shelby, Joey, and Sarah Blankenship. She is also survived by her sister, Jeanne Nickel, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 57 years, Tom, their son, William (Billy) Bailey, and grandson, William (Billy) Miller.
Gloria was an active member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Houston, Texas for 26 years and an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Conroe, Texas, where she lived for 29 years. She was a Eucharistic Minister at Sacred Heart and a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Court 1884, and served as regent for several years.
Gloria was a resident of Tuscany Village Nursing Home where she served as President of the Resident’s Council for several months and was awarded the distinguished honor of Resident of the Month in May 2009. She was a beloved guest at the Village and will be missed by many.
Visitation in Arkansas will be at the Roller-McNutt Funeral Home in Conway on Friday evening, December 4, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. A graveside service will be at Cadron Valley Cemetery, Greenbrier, Saturday, December 5, 10:00 a.m. The procession will leave Roller-McNutt at 9:30 a.m.
Pall Bearers will be Dane Bailey, Cameron Bailey, Mark Clegg, Mike Clegg, John Sutherland, Judd Sutherland, and Joe Sutherland
In lieu of flowers please send donations to Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, Attention Donor Services, P. O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309.
Contributed on 11/6/15 by hawkinsdonna
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Record #: 1107690