Ouida Ward Bailey passed to her heavenly home on November 4, 2015 at her home in Clinton. Mrs. Bailey was born July 4, 1935 at Water Valley, Mississippi to loving Christian parents. She was the eighth of 10 children born to E.C. and Zeffie Simpson Ward. While still a pre-schooler, Ouida's family moved to Bruce, Mississippi, where she grew up and graduated from high school in 1953. Soon after graduating, she moved to Jackson, Mississippi to attend college. In 1956, she went to work for South Central Bell telephone company as secretary to the general manager of the Sales and Marketing Department until 1964.
Ouida was married to Charles E. Bailey, Jr., who was employed by First National Bank, now Trustmark Bank. They were married on February 22, 1958. Two children were born to the Baileys, a daughter, Karen Leigh, in February of 1960; and a son, Charles III, in 1964. Their children grew up and attended public schools in Jackson and both graduated from Mississippi universities.
While her children were in middle school, Ouida went into the study of pre-school education. She taught 5-year kindergarten for two years, then accepted the position of pre-school director, and retired from that position after 21 years in 1995. Soon after the Baileys retired, they built a new home in Clinton, Mississippi, where they were blessed with great neighbors and friends.
Ouida was a member of Grace Primitive Baptist Church in Pearl, Mississippi; a good drive from Clinton, but very dear and near to her heart. She had gotten away from the Primitive Baptist church in her early years, but finally came back to the wonderful doctrine of salvation by God's grace, which was the church of her Ward family predecessors for several generations, and many relatives at the present time.
Mrs. Bailey was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Charles; daughter, Karen; three brothers, Dewey Lester Ward, L.V. Ward, and Truman Ward; and three sisters, Vadie Cox, Ruby Shelton, and Raye Wooten. She is survived by her son, Charles, his wife, Wendy, and their son, Brandon; grandson, Hunter Beasley, his wife, Leeanne, and their sons, Jackson and Kase; granddaughter Jessica Barnett, her husband, Joseph, and their daughter Kinsley; three brothers, L.S. (Ruby) Ward of Laurel, Robert (Joyce) Ward of Columbus, and Jerry (Mary Sue) Ward of Cherokee Village, Arkansas.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Friday, November 6 at Lakewood Funeral Home, located at 6011 Clinton Boulevard in Jackson, with visitation beginning at 11 a.m.
Please visit Ouida's online guestbook at www.lakewoodfuneralhomes.com.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18