Imogene Bayless

Funeral service for Imogene Bayless will be held on Monday, July 29, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at the Sevier Funeral Home Chapel in Chickasha, OK. The interment will be at Fairlawn Cemetery under the direction of Sevier Funeral Home. There will be a visitation with family present on Friday, July 26, 2024 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Sevier Funeral Home.

Imogene Bayless was born on April 1, 1926 in Tabler, OK to William Rufus Shelton and Maude Irene (Kimbrell) Shelton. Imogene passed away at her home surrounded by family on July 23, 2024 in Chickasha, OK, at the age of 98.

Imogene was born in Tabler, OK. She went to Harris and Hawkins schools until the age of 12. Her family moved to Oakland, CA in 1938. Her Poppa worked at a soap factory and her Mom worked at the

Del Monte Cannery. She wanted to play basketball but only got to play one day. The school nurse made her go to bed during the one hour of basketball (which was an opportunity to wear shorts) because she was too thin so she had to drink a carton of milk. They returned to Oklahoma in December of 1942 where her father was a sharecropper and mother was a homemaker.

Imogene has been a member of the 9th and Colorado Church of Christ since she was 16 years old. She was baptized in Rodeo, CA. Imogene had a beautiful voice and loved to sing church hymns. She and her sister Delois were asked to sing at numerous funerals in their early years. She enjoyed going to Gospel singings.

Imogene met Ross Bayless inn 1942 when they were in High School in Dibble, OK. They were married on May 16, 1949 in Wichita Falls, TX. Together they had four amazing children, Rhonda, Les, Donna and Craig.

Imogene ran all over Oklahoma City running errands for the Pool Hall that she owned with her husband Ross. She kept up with all the bookwork for the Pool Hall. She was very talented. She recovered chairs, pool and snooker tables, as well as, kept the domino tables in usable condition. She also drew the short end of the stick at times and had to clean it as well. Imogene was the handyman around the house and the Pool Hall. She was a carpenter, a wonderful seamstress, barber/beautician, and plumber. One time she tied a rope around her waist and the other end around one of the upstairs bedroom doors and hung out the upstairs window to replace a broken glass in the window. You name it, she did it.

She loved working in her yard and had beautiful flower beds. That's what grieved her the most as she declined; she couldn't see or work in her flower beds. She was an awesome cook and had the best Mac & Cheese and homemade yeast rolls around! She made those yeast rolls even at the age of 97. She only had one doll as a child so she enjoyed going to garage sales and finding dolls. She would buy dolls and make them beautiful again. She drove all over Oklahoma City and Norman taking Chester (a cherished employee for Imogene and Ross at the Pool Hall) and relatives to their doctor's appointments or just running errands and visiting relatives.

It was surprising to some when they would come over to Imogene's house. Her radio was usually on 105.5 listening to Bruce McGrew and the pop/rock station. She really enjoyed playing solitaire on the computer, but that joy ended earlier this year when her vision got even worse.

Imogene loved her family fiercely. She stated more than once she did not want to leave her kids.

She is preceded in death by her husband, John Ross Bayless; her parents, William Rufus Shelton and Maude Irene (Kimbrell) Shelton; brothers: Jessy James Shelton, Wilmer G. Shelton, Burl Shelton, and Willis Ray "Sonny" Shelton; sisters: Sylva Shelton Rogers and Delois Shelton.

Imogene is survived by her children: daughter, Rhonda and Robert Lyle of Yukon, OK, son, Les and Kandi Bayless of Chickasha, OK, daughter, Donna Bayless and Dee Britt of Oklahoma City, OK, son Craig Bayless of Chickasha, OK; her sister Saundra and Billy Fields of Elk City, OK; her grand dog Missy; grandchildren: Shelby and Val Bayless of San Diego, CA, Kristin and David Kayne of Chickasha, OK, Megan Merit Shoemake, of Chickasha, OK, and Cody and Tobi Merit of Chickasha, OK; great-grandchildren: Colt Holland, River, Andrew, & Max Kayne; Ben Ross Bayless & Sara Bayless; Lexi Jo, Harli, Knox, & Sadie Shoemake; Reagan, McKinley, and Monroe Merit.

Mom had always wanted to see Niagara Falls so Rhonda, Donna and Dee made sure that wish was fulfilled. It was a fun filled road trip that will be cherished forever which included a stop at Branson on the way home. She and Ross made many trips to enjoy the Branson shows.

Mom was also excited when she was invited to go to Dollywood with Janna Britt and her sister, Anita Williams, Dee and Donna. It was perfect trip from the start to finish. Dollywood was having a southern gospel week and the foliage was absolutely beautiful. Mom still had a little bit of her vision to see some of the beauty as she rode the Gondola over the Smokey Mountains. Janna was a good friend to mom, she was always calling to check on mom or stopping by to visit.

The family would like to especially acknowledge and thank Dee, Rhonda and Donna for their dedication to caring for Imogene/Mom/Grandma, most notably in this last year as she was failing. Without you, she would not have been able to live out her days at home as she did, nor be cared for as lovingly. While we know you would not have had it any other way, your sacrifice of time and tireless efforts did not go unrecognized and will never be forgotten. Dee went on this journey willfully with them. Her compassion for the elderly throughout her P.T. career and the love she had for Imogene was invaluable. She loved Imogene and Imogene loved her.

The family would like to recognize and thank Crossroads Hospice for the exceptional care they gave Mom during her last 23 days (Stephanie, Nikki, Lorri); Dr. Abby Housman and Grady Memorial Hospital for the care they provided mom through the years and for allowing Donna to be with her mom this last year.

Thank you for coming to celebrate Imogene's life with us. She was so proud to let folks know she was still in living in her home by herself (she lived by herself until the age of 97).

Funny Story:

Donna:

Mom gave me the absolute "priceless" birthday card a few years ago. She was so proud that she found one in the cabinet and she signed it as she normally would. Little did she know she had recycled a very old birthday card that was sent to her from Rhonda & Mark. I never laughed so much, but I have that card framed and in my office. I told her it was the best gift she could have ever given me.

For those that know mom you know this is out of character, but during the last few months she told us we were the laziest bunch she'd ever seen.

Mom was so afraid her granddog was going to get out of the house, she would always remind us to make sure we put her on a leash.

One day when Stephanie, the hospice nurse, was leaving mom found her loud voice again and as Stephanie reached the door mom yelled,

"DON'T LET MISSY OUT!"