Joan Bailey, 81, of Ogallala, passed away Sept. 18, 2012, at Ogallala Community Hospital.
She was born Emilyne Joan Friesenborg in Gothenburg, on Feb. 10, 1931, to Emil and Hattie (Nelson) Friesenborg.
Joan enjoyed church activities and music growing up, playing the baritone horn in the marching band. She also volunteered serving American WWII troops at the North Platte Canteen as a young teenager. She graduated as the Valedictorian of the Gothenburg High School class of 1949.
She went to work for the Platte Valley Public Power and Irrigation District where she met electrical lineman Richard Bailey, whom she married on Sept. 20, 1953. After her husband’s Naval Service during the Korean Conflict, the couple moved to Lincoln so Richard could pursue his degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After Richard’s graduation, they lived in Springfield, Ill., for two years.
In 1961, they moved to Ogallala as Richard accepted a job at TRW, where they remained until 1989. Richard and Joan moved to Orlando, Fla., for one year and then Auburn for three years until Richard’s retirement from NPPD in 1993, when they retired to their Ogallala home.
Joan taught piano lessons in the 1960s and worked as the Ogallala “Welcome Wagon” Hostess for 13 years. She also sold Jewels by Park Lane and worked for the Ogallala Sears store.
Joan was highly involved in the Ogallala First Baptist Church, and its choir, and served as a church pianist and organist for 27 years. She sang with the Sweet Adelines for a time. Her hobbies included flower and vegetable gardening, cooking and her pet Boston Terriers. Joan was involved with the Christian Women’s Club and Bible studies for many years. She was a devoted wife, mother, friend and homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, in 2010.
She is survived by three children, Susan Bailey, of Ogallala, Greg Bailey, of Gainesville, Fla., and Tim Bailey, of Ogallala; two brothers, Nelton (Ruth) Friesenborg, of Sun City West, Ariz., and Gaylan (Leona) Friesenborg, of Cape Girardeau, Mo.; two sisters-in-law, Ramona Benjamin, of North Platte, and Delores Rodine, of Gothenburg; six grandchildren, Kai, Karli, Jamie, Samuel, Molly and Adam; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at the Ogallala First Baptist Church with the Rev. Curtis Tschetter officiating. Burial will be at 2 p.m. (CDT) on Tuesday, at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 24, at Draucker Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church. Online condolences may be sent to drauckerfh.com
Draucker Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.