Myrtle Audrey Bailey

Myrt was born at home to Glenn and Inez White near Amelia, Nebraska on January 31, 1937. She was the middle of three ranchers' daughters and was a skilled cook next to her mother, providing fried chicken meals, iced tea, and homemade pies, to those working in the hay field. She attended Central College, in McPherson, Kansas for high school and junior college, and then completed her bachelor's degree in elementary education, at Greenville College in Greenville Illinois. She met her husband, Robert (Bob) Bailey, at Greenville College, and after graduation they moved to Bellevue, Nebraska where she was a second and fourth grade teacher for more than 30 years. After retirement, Bob and Myrt moved to Ft Collins, Colorado in 2001, to be near Myrts sister and her family.

Myrt loved teaching whether it was in the K-12 one room schoolhouse in rural Nebraska, the elementary school in Bellevue, or the many Sunday school classes she taught in the Bellevue Free Methodist Church. She was a highly skilled seamstress, a loyal supporter of the Free Methodist Church, a committed Nebraska Cornhusker fan, and a master baker of homemade pies and cinnamon rolls. Her true legacy however, was her love of Jesus and the way she showed that love to everyone she encountered. She always had a special love for the underdog, and those that were struggling. Her love was unconditional and knew no bounds.

Bob passed away in 2004 after 42 years of marriage, and Myrt was fortunate to find love again, marrying Sam Hamblen in 2008. They were married for 12 years before his passing in 2021. Myrt became a member of Timberline Church and she and Sam enjoyed a vibrant social life and many trips with the Primetimers group. Though Myrt never had children of her own, she was a second mother/grandmother to her four nieces and nephew and their 8 children, and a step-mother, grandmother, and great grandmother to Sam's two sons and their wives (Cliff and Carol ) (Sammy and Janette) and their 5 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Having such a big and loving bonus family was a source of great joy for her in her final years.

Myrt is preceded in death by her parents Glenn and Inez White, her sisters Jean (Kay) Joy and Venita Christian, her husband Bob Bailey, her husband Sam Hamblen, Sam’s great grandson, Otto, and many beloved cousins, aunts and uncles. She is survived by her brother-in-law Ron Christian, nieces Rhonda (Darren) Graves and her children Madeleine and William; Darlene Berrong and her children Lucas and Megan; niece Marianne Gairns and her children Jessica, Tommy, Kayla, and Shelby, and nephew Don (Bonnie) Joy.

A memorial service and reception will be held at Timberline Church on Sunday, December 8 at 3:30. The service will be live streamed for those who are not able to attend, please visit the link for streaming - https://youtube.com/live/HjN2zQxDvNM?feature=share . Tributes and memorials can be posted on https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/ft-collins-co/myrtle-bailey-12071058/add-memory

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to https://stelizabethsdenver.org/ways-to-give