Elva Bailly
1913 – 2008
Elva A. Bailly, 94, of Henning, Minnesota, formerly of Park Rapids, Minnesota, died peacefully at the Tri-County Hospital in Wadena, Minnesota, on Sunday, June 15, 2008.
Elva was the third of nine children born to Clark F. and Tora L. Morgan on a farm near Wallace, South Dakota. She attended high school in Wallace and then went on to attend business college in Watertown, South Dakota. She worked in Watertown until 1939 when she moved to Park Rapids. Elva was united in marriage to Rolland L. “Bud” Bailly in Park Rapids on July 22, 1936. This union was blessed with three children: Cleo, Larry, and Carl. In addition to caring for her home and family, Elva also worked at several banks and insurance companies in Park Rapids. In 1979, her life was forever saddened by the death of her husband, Bud. In 1981 Elva left the Park Rapids area and moved to Henning, where she was a companion to Lloyd Greenwood. After fracturing her shoulder in a fall in October of 2007, Elva had become a resident of the Golden Living Center in Henning.
Elva was a woman of many interests. She enjoyed gardening, and then canning and freezing it’s produce. She was interested in genealogy and researched and recorded the Morgan and Bailly family histories. She was skilled at handwork and did much embroidery and other types of needlework. Over the years, she has provided her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews with many handcrafted keepsakes.
She was a member of the Riverside United Methodist Church in Park Rapids and the Otto Hendrickson American Legion Post Auxiliary #212 for many years. Above all, Elva devoted her life to her family and friends who she loved with all her heart.
Elva will be lovingly remembered by her special friend, Lloyd Greenwood of Henning; her son, Larry (Kate) Bailly of Bloomington, Minnesota; her daughter, Cleo (Robert) Johnson of Lemmon, South Dakota; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many friends.
Elva was preceded in death by her husband, Bud; her son, Carl in 1999; her grandson, Tony; three sisters: Eva, Stella, and Jessie and five brothers: Hugh, Vaud, Leigh, Charles, and Clark F. in infancy.
Funeral services were held June 20 at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids with the Reverend Loren Ferch officiating. Reverend Ferch provided special music. The congregational hymns were “The Old Rugged Cross” and “What A Friend We Have In Jesus.” Pallbearers were her grandchildren: Mike Bailly, Sharon Bailly, Mary Johnson, Sam Johnson, Brandon Bailly, and Tiffany Bailly-Renner. The honorary pallbearers were her great-grandchildren: David Bailly, Erick Bailly, Laura Bailly, Lorelei Renner, and Alyssa Bailly. Interment was made in the Bailly family plot located in the Greenwood Cemetery of Park Rapids. Arrangements were with Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids.
