- Date Of Birth: October 5, 1926
- Date Of Death: April 22, 2014
- State: Nebraska
Reta L. (Parrish) Bailey
Reta Lucille (Parrish) Bailey, 87, of Tecumseh, passed away Tuesday April 22, 2014, at Belle Terrace in Tecumseh, Nebraska. She was born to Fred E. and Opal A. (Hickey) Parrish on Oct. 5, 1926 near Vesta, Nebraska.
She attended Tecumseh Public Schools and graduated with the Tecumseh High School Class of 1944.
Tex and Reta met in Lincoln while he was in the Army AirCorps. Reta was staying with her cousin and they snuck out to go to a dance where she met Tex. Tex said he had met a beautiful young gal and he asked Reta to marry him. She said, “You need to ask my daddy.” Her father said, “That’s fine, the two of you can be married, but I expect Reta to graduate from high school.” Reta and Tex were married in Seneca, Kansas on November 6, 1943. Fairly soon after their marriage, Tex received his papers to serve his country in Italy and Reta became a World War II bride. They lived with Tex’s parents in Gorman, Texas for a short time, and then moved to Elk Creek where they bought the Elk Creek Hotel. The couple later lived on farms near St. Mary and in the Spring Creek area.
Reta was a member of the First Baptist Church in Tecumseh where she was active in many church activities. She volunteered at the Southeast Community Action Center and was also a volunteer at Belle Terrace Center for many years. Reta loved helping others by providing transportation when needed. When their health declined, Tex and Reta became residents of Belle Terrace.
She is survived by her husband of over 70 years, Wilburn “Tex” Bailey of Tecumseh, NE; sons: Fred Bailey and wife Barbara of Lincoln, NE; Dave Bailey and wife Brenda of Tecumseh; NE; daughters: Linda Speckmann and husband Orville of Tecumseh, NE; Connie Stinson and husband Ron of Lincoln, NE; Delores Vancura of Lincoln, NE; Jana Moore of Kansas City, MO; 11 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; one great-great grandson; sisters: Doris Sporhase of Lincoln, NE; Imogene Thies of Lincoln, NE; sisters-in-law, LaVay Parrish of Tecumseh and Helen Roden of Kilgore, TX; and several nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, infant daughter, Mary Ellen, brother, Donald Parrish and brothers-in-law, Harvey Sporhase and Harold Thies.
