Elsie Bailey

Elsie Lee Oler Bailey

Elsie Lee Oler Reinier Bailey, a long time resident of Anita, Iowa, passed away at the age of 86, at the Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines early Friday morning, January 20, 2012.
Elsie Lee Oler was born on April 12, 1925 to Emery R. and Edna Mae Humphrey Oler in the home of grandmother Humphrey at Wiota, IA. She lived in Adair County and the towns of Anita and Grant while growing up. She attended grade school at Gold Hill German School and Olson Grant #4 and graduated from Anita High School. Elsie became a teacher and taught at Benton, Lincoln and Grant Township schools. She later worked at Weeds Grocery Store, the Fashion Harbor, and spent many years as a child care giver. Elsie was married to Bernard Alfred Reinier on January 23, 1948 then later she was united in marriage to Kermit Eugene Bailey in Wiota, Iowa on August 1st, 1971. Elsie was a member of the Anita United Methodist Church and the Anita Lions Club. She enjoyed family pictures, reading, horses and cats but her greatest enjoyment was her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She felt her greatest accomplishment was raising her family. They enjoyed traveling and camping and wintering for many years in the Rio Grande Valley at Mission, Texas. She will be remembered as a loving, nurturing, kindhearted, honest and loyal person to all she knew.
She is survived by sons, Emery James, Rex Dale Reinier and Brian Lee Smith of Wiota, IA; daughters, Edna Belle Witzman and husband Dale, Elsie Mae Wilkins and husband Roger, and Karleen Marie Evans, all of Atlantic, IA; step-daughter, Patricia Dyer and husband Charley of Pleasant Hill, IA, sisters-in-law, Ruth Oler and Mable Hobbs of Atlantic; brother-in-law, Delbert Hobbs of Anita, IA; grandchildren, Lodema Cullum, Lisa Juckette, Todd Witzman, Amie Gieseke, Brett and Brady Wilkins, Natalie Hite, Shawnell Richter, Jason Evans, Jeremy Reinier, Laura Helmers, Rebecca Longobardi; step-grand-children, Ricky Dunagan and Shonna Bowlin; honarary daughter, Dawnell Smith and honorary grandchildren, Kelby Smith and Danica Smith and Lucas Smith and Matthew Smith; 35 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.
Elsie was preceded in death by her husband Kermit Bailey; parents Emery and Edna Oler; sisters, Arleen and Laura Rathman and Lillian Cude; brother, John Oler; brothers-in-law, Walter and Carl Rathman and B. B. Cude; niece, Rita Kay Oler; brothers-in-law, Tom and Leonard Bailey and sisters-in-law, Ruth and Iris Bailey and honorary son, Kurt Smith.
There will be an open visitation at the Roland Funeral Home Monday from 8:00 to 5:30 and Tuesday from 8:00 until the visitation with family Tuesday evening, January 24th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Services for Elsie will be held on Wednesday, January 25, at the First United Methodist Church in Anita at 10:00 am with Pastor Gary DeGeest officiating. The committal service will be in the Evergreen Cemetery in Anita following funeral services.

The Roland Funeral Service is caring for Elsie's family and her arrangements. Condolences for the family may be left on their website at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.