VIRGINIA BAILES

Virginia was raised in Morrill where her father was a pharmacist and served as mayor while her mother served as Postmaster.

Virginia graduated from Morrill High School class of ’41, attended Scottsbluff Junior College, the University of Wyoming at Laramie, and received her A.B. degree from the University of Denver in 1947. She would later receive an M.A. degree from West Virginia University.

As a young adult, Virginia enjoyed dance classes, including ballet, acting in school plays, cheerleading, Rainbow for Girls, and was a past Queen of Job’s Daughters (Mitchell, Nebraska bethel), and past Honored Queen for the state of Nebraska.

A chance meeting with Sgt. Milton G. Bailes on a train full of soldiers headed to Kearney Army Air Field, Nebraska, changed her life in 1943. After meeting, the couple started exchanging letters and fell in love. Virginia and Sgt. Milton Bailes were married on August 1, 1945, after Milton returned home from the war in Europe, having been shot down while serving as a tailgunner on a B-17 bomber and spending 13 months as a German prisoner of war. Virginia and Milton remained faithful, loving and devoted companions and friends until the day he died on April 18, 1988.

Their union produced three sons: Lewis M. Bailes of Richmond, VA; Richard H. Bailes (deceased); and Alan W. Bailes of Wheeling, WV. Surviving also are a daughter-in-law, Sue Bailes of Greensboro, NC, three grandchildren: Melissa Bailes of New Orleans, LA; Eric Bailes of Brooklyn, NY; and Katie Kleisch (Ethan) of Greensboro, NC; and one great- grandchild, Sean Orgias.

Aside from her husband and family, Virginia’s greatest passion was her profession as an elementary school teacher. She taught for 20 years starting in Tyler County (Sistersville Elementary) in 1965 and ending in Ohio County (Woodsdale, Greggsville and Ritchie schools) in 1985. Over the course of her teaching career, she taught hundreds of students in grades first through fourth and especially enjoyed teaching them how to read.

Virginia or “Jinny” as she was known by her friends continued to inspire young minds long after she retired by giving illustrated presentations to school children on various topics including her many travels. After retirement Jinny travelled the world extensively, visiting all the continents, and graciously volunteered her time to several organizations and activities including guiding tours of the Oglebay Mansion.

Jinny enjoyed her large apple collection and was affectionately called the “Applelady” by her many friends and acquaintances.

Organizations to which she was a member include Vance Memorial Presbyterian Church, The Collegiate Alumnae of Wheeling, The Woman’s Club of Wheeling, OCARSE and Oglebay Institute. Jinny’s intellectual curiosity, her warm heart, gentle smile and abiding generous nature will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

Friends will be received from 9 a.m. until time of service at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 8, 2018 at the Kepner Funeral Home-Woodsdale location, National Road at Bethany Pike, Wheeling WV.

Interment in Greenwood Cemetery, Wheeling, to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorial donations be made to the charity of your choice.