Esther Bailey, 95, of David City, passed away Sunday, July 27, 2025 at Brookestone in David City.
In lieu of flowers memorials to St. Luke's Church or Butler County Senior Center
Memorial Service Thursday, July 31, 2025 2:00 P.M.
Kracl Funeral Chapel, David City
Rev. Nick Martozie, Officiating
Visitation Thursday 1-2 P.M. at the Chapel
Refreshments following the service at Kracl Funeral Chapel
Esther L. Bailey was born to Ira and Irene Stucky in Berne, Indiana, on May 17, 1930. She passed away at the age of 95 at Brookestone of David City on July 27, 2025. The family would like to express its gratitude to the staff of Brookestone and to Esther's roommate Marylin Kopke for the wonderful care and friendship Esther enjoyed while residing at Brookestone.
Esther married Walter Bailey in Indiana in 1950. Together, they had five sons. She spend many years as a pastor's wife, well-loved by their churches' congregants. After Esther and Walter divorced, Esther made their own way into an unsure future with grit and determination, working in the food service industry at Miller & Paine in Lincoln, Bonanza Steak Houses in both Lincoln and Omaha, and as the food service supervisor at Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha. She also served as a housemother at Patricia Stevens College of Beauty in Omaha and, after her "retirement", worked summers for Nebraska Game & Parks.
Throughout her life, Esther served God and clocked an abundance of volunteer hours. She formally volunteered at the Butler County Hospital and the Butler County Senior Center in David City. She was well into her 80s and still teaching tai chi classes and demonstrating for other seniors how to get up off the floor. She was easily spotted from afar by the array of crazy socks she sported, poking out of her little shoes as she struck her tai chi poses. But more than the formal volunteer roles, Esther spent her lifetime quietly offering friendship to the downtrodden, vising those on hospice care, delivering ice cream cones to shut-ins, dog-sitting, and offering myriad of other kindnesses that went unsaid. She took great joy in providing for family gatherings at her home, with feasts to rival the best of the best.
Esther loved the outdoors, gardening, camping, and knitting. She was a lifelong dog-lover. She was a member of PEO. She enjoyed early mornings wither her Bible and a cup of coffee, watching the squirrels scampering outside her kitchen window.
Esther is preceded in death by her parents and sisters, as well as her granddaughter Liberty Bailey, daughter-in-law, Rhonda Bailey, and son, Ted Bailey.
Esther is survived by four sons: David Bailey, Ron (Kathy) Bailey, Tim (Annette) Bailey, Don (Robin) Bailey, and daughter-in-law, Marilyn Bailey, widow of Ted. She was blessed with grandchildren, Kyle Bailey, Chad (Kayla) Bailey, Alison (Kevin) Britt, and Morgan Kovarik, as well as great-grandchildren, Ethan Britt, Paige Britt, and Isla Bailey.
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