Florence Perkins Bailey (July 28, 1913—October 20, 2014)
Florence Bailey, born Florence Emma Perkins, daughter of Blanche Bryan Perkins and Warren Edwin Perkins in Spink County, South Dakota in 1913. With her mother, she moved from the family farm to Aberdeen, South Dakota after her father died of the Spanish flu in 1918. Florence graduated nursing school from St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen, and became a Certified Nurse anesthetist from St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth Minnesota.
In 1942 Florence joined the US Army Nursing Corps and was assigned to the 251st Station Hospital. The 251st, under General Douglas MacArthur, followed the allied troops as they pushed northward from Australia through New Guinea, New Britain, Leyte, and Luzon, until their triumphant return to retake Corregidor in the Philippines. Florence made lifelong friends with many of the nurses and doctors who she served with. She cared for and saved the lives of countless wounded servicemen, and was promoted to the rank of Captain. She was decorated with the American Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and she received five Bronze Battle Stars for her service to the country.
In 1947 she married John Joseph (Jack) Bailey. They had two children, Jacquelyn Aileen and Joel Stephen, and in 1956 they moved from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Orlando, Florida. Florence worked for Orlando General Hospital as Director of Nursing until she retired in the late 1960’s.
For the past fourteen years she has spent winters in Thomasville, Georgia and summers in Red Wing, Minnesota.
Florence is survived by daughter Jackie of Thomasville, Georgia, son Joel and daughter-in-law Georgina (Gina) of Los Angeles, and grandson Brendan of Washington, DC.
Florence is loved and admired by all who know her. She is known for her kindness, strength, perseverance, and a wisecracking sense of humor. A dedicated wife and mother, she loved traveling, camping, reading, word puzzles, playing cards, and good conversation. She was active, energetic, and traveled right up until the end of her life. She was generous with her time and donations to causes and organizations that she cared about. She is dearly missed by her family and friends.
Donations in her memory can be made to St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in Thomasville, GA, and Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1500 N. 2nd St., Aberdeen, SD 57401.
Memorial services will be held Saturday, October 25, 2014 at 11:00am, St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, 211 North Pinetree Blvd. Thomasville, GA 31792
Burial services with military honors will be at Halverson Cemetery, Menomonie, Wisconsin in the spring of 2015.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Florence Perkins Bailey, please visit our flower store.
Florence Bailey, born Florence Emma Perkins, daughter of Blanche Bryan Perkins and Warren Edwin Perkins in Spink County, South Dakota in 1913. With her mother, she moved from the family farm to Aberdeen, South Dakota after her father died of the Spanish flu in 1918. Florence graduated nursing school from St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen, and became a Certified Nurse anesthetist from St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth Minnesota.
In 1942 Florence joined the US Army Nursing Corps and was assigned to the 251st Station Hospital. The 251st, under General Douglas MacArthur, followed the allied troops as they pushed northward from Australia through New Guinea, New Britain, Leyte, and Luzon, until their triumphant return to retake Corregidor in the Philippines. Florence made lifelong friends with many of the nurses and doctors who she served with. She cared for and saved the lives of countless wounded servicemen, and was promoted to the rank of Captain. She was decorated with the American Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and she received five Bronze Battle Stars for her service to the country.
In 1947 she married John Joseph (Jack) Bailey. They had two children, Jacquelyn Aileen and Joel Stephen, and in 1956 they moved from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Orlando, Florida. Florence worked for Orlando General Hospital as Director of Nursing until she retired in the late 1960’s.
For the past fourteen years she has spent winters in Thomasville, Georgia and summers in Red Wing, Minnesota.
Florence is survived by daughter Jackie of Thomasville, Georgia, son Joel and daughter-in-law Georgina (Gina) of Los Angeles, and grandson Brendan of Washington, DC.
Florence is loved and admired by all who know her. She is known for her kindness, strength, perseverance, and a wisecracking sense of humor. A dedicated wife and mother, she loved traveling, camping, reading, word puzzles, playing cards, and good conversation. She was active, energetic, and traveled right up until the end of her life. She was generous with her time and donations to causes and organizations that she cared about. She is dearly missed by her family and friends.
Donations in her memory can be made to St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in Thomasville, GA, and Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1500 N. 2nd St., Aberdeen, SD 57401.
Memorial services will be held Saturday, October 25, 2014 at 11:00am, St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, 211 North Pinetree Blvd. Thomasville, GA 31792
Burial services with military honors will be at Halverson Cemetery, Menomonie, Wisconsin in the spring of 2015.
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