Marian Bailey

November 8, 1923 - September 14, 2012

Memorial services for Marian will be held on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 11:00 a.m., at the First United Congregational Church of Christ in Geneva. A private family committal of ashes will be held prior to the service at the Geneva Public Cemetery. Memorials are directed to the Geneva First United Congregational Church of Christ, House of Hope Haiti or Prairie Plains Resource Institute. Marian K Bailey was born to John and Sarah Blanche Kroll on November 8, 1923 in Helvey, Nebraska and passed away on September 14, 2012 at the age of 88. Marian was second to the youngest of four children. Marian attended school in Helvey through sixth grade until the Kroll family moved to Geneva in 1935. While living in Helvey, the family often spent Sundays in neighboring Alexandria, Nebraska at their Grandmother Moore’s house. It was a similar tradition that was carried into the Bailey family's weekly routine as they attended Sunday family gatherings at Grandpa and Grandma Kroll's house next door. It was always a memorable Sunday evening supper gathering at the Kroll house with the Shaner family and great aunts from the Moore family. Christmas Eve was an another favorite family time with multiple generations well represented. After the family moved to Geneva, Marian started the seventh grade. In Geneva younger sister Carol entered the fifth grade and her older brother and sister, Charles and Blanche, attended eighth grade. Somewhere along her educational path she got the notion that she wanted to teach after high school. So after graduating in 1941 she accepted a teaching job in Martland, Nebraska. She taught grades one through eight for $65 per month. The salary included an extra $10 per month for teaching the seventh and eighth grade curriculum in the one room school. Over the years Marian has shared some humorous stories of her short teaching career. The one that her family remembers the best involves a first grade boy that bit mom while acting up in class. To show the young offender that it is not wise to bite your teacher, she bit him back. A lesson learned. Another story Marian told involved reprimanding an eighth grade fellow who was supposed to stay in the school house but had other plans. He decided to walk out and hold the door closed so Marian couldn't exit after him. So perhaps that helps us understand why in the summer of 1942 Marian decided to leave teaching and accept a banking position offered to her in Geneva. She was even willing to take a cut in pay to get back to Geneva. And as fate would have it, returning to Geneva helped her to meet the love of her life. Bob Bailey returned to civilian life area after World War II in September of 1945. Bob and Marian were married on April 23, 1946. Then in 1948 they embarked upon one of life’s most rewarding and challenging endeavors, children. Over the years they had three children for which they worked hard to provide the best life had to offer. The Bailey family enjoyed many years of a close network of friends in Geneva. For years these longtime family friends planned special events and holiday celebrations for countless fun filled memories for the entire family. These times included weekends of boating at Lake Lovewell in Kansas, Fourth of July pool parties, and the New Years Eve celebrations with everyone participating in the “Oh When The Saints Go Marching In” midnight march. The march included the impromptu Pan Lid Band that became a noisy annual treat, especially for the kids. The group of friends also took a couple of vacations to Colorado together. Memories like these are priceless as we remember Marian and our times together. Starting in 1992, Marian looked forward each year to vacations with her family. For ten consecutive years Marian and Bob, their children and grandchildren embarked on these journeys to nearby states. These family adventures have provided memories that are still being talked and laughed about. Marian enjoyed the trips to Branson Missouri to see the stage shows and entertainment. Andy William’s show was one of her favorites. From the mountains in Colorado, the Black Hills of South Dakota, the Wisconsin Dells and to the lakes of Minnesota our families shared some of the best vacation memories. These memories with Marian and Bob will be carried in our family’s hearts and minds for years to come. In January of 1992 Marian and Bob made their first trip with Bill and Blanche Shaner to Sanibel Island, Florida for a month’s vacation. They found it a most enjoyable way to escape part of the Nebraska’s winter and later made this same trip five additional winters. The Baileys and Shaners also enjoyed their trips to Colorado to visit Marian and Blanche's brother, Charles Kroll and his wife Sally. They spent many good times at their home in Denver and at their cabin in the mountains. Marian retired from the Geneva State Bank in 1988. She started as a Bookkeeper, then was promoted to Teller followed by Head Teller. Later promotions took her from Assistant Cashier to Cashier. She often said she didn't think of it as work. She enjoyed the opportunity to work with the Wilkins family, the great staff and the Geneva community at large. We think her smile said it all. In retirement, Marian and Bob returned to golfing for some frustration and fun. They enjoyed the cool morning weekday rounds together, when they could take their time. Sometimes the number of balls lost and found seemed more important than the golf scores. In 1990, a couple years after Marian retired, Bob had a stroke that limited his ability to drive and deliver meals for the Geneva Senior Center. So they shifted gears and together they took on the venture as Marian provided the transportation. Marian also loved to play bridge both before and after retirement. She especially enjoyed sharing her love of big band jazz music when she hosted to bridge club. She often reported getting positive comments for the upbeat background tempo. Marian was also a sports fan. She enjoyed watching her grandkids in various sports all though their school years. She especially enjoyed watching Nebraska Football and Volleyball with family when possible, and more than often with her friend Mille. Marian enjoyed men's professional golf tournaments on television and followed Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson closely. These are just a handful of the special ways we remember and celebrate Marian's life. Her physical presence left us, but she will always be alive in our hearts and our minds. She leaves behind greater changes in this world than she ever imagined or would admit to. She dedicated her life to family, church and community. In her own way she gave us a kind, gentle and loving role model to guide us in our daily lives. She did all of this one day at a time by her example of hard work, hope and caring. Like her mother, Marian did devotions and read her Bible daily. Her faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is a legacy to all who know her and her family. Her family is so thankful to have been a part of Marian’s life. Marian was preceded in death by her husband Robert T. Bailey; her parents, John C. and Sarah Blanche Kroll; by a sisters Carol Kroll and Blanche Shaner, and a son Robert J. Bailey. She is survived by son Britton Bailey and wife Barbara of Lincoln; granddaughter Sarah Bailey of Aurora; daughter Sara Andreesen and husband James of Ord; granddaughter Bailey Andreesen of Lincoln; grandson Nathan Andreesen and wife Nicole of Omaha; brother Charles Kroll and wife Sally of Littleton, CO; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.