Rena Bailey

Rena M. Bailey NORFOLK - Rena Mae Bailey, 75, went home to be with the Lord Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008. Waiting for her at heaven's gate were her parents, Blain and Mildred Milam and son, "JE" Bailey, all formerly of Prosperity, W.Va. Mrs. Bailey is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, John E. Bailey; her son, Roy W. Bailey and wife Kathy Bailey of Beckley; daughter, Belinda J. Hill and husband Paul Hill of Suffolk and daughter-in-law Charla Bailey of Prosperity; five grandchildren, Angela Adkins and husband Rusty Adkins of Oak Hill, W.Va., Michele Davis and husband Wesley Davis of Midway, W.Va., Christy Fitzgerald and husband "DJ" Fitzgerald of Prosperity, Jason Bailey of Prosperity and Andrew Hill and wife Hollie of Leesburg, Va. Mrs. Bailey is also survived by six great-grandchildren, Jayden, Kendal and Rhiannon Adkins of Oak Hill, Kyra and Jana Davis of Midway and Elisabeth Hill of Leesburg; and three step-great-grandchildren, Stephanie, Christa and Sean Adkins of Oak Hill; brother-in-law, Bill R. Bailey and wife Lorraine Bailey of Norfolk; sister-in-law Mary Bailey of Chicago. She leaves behind many friends and family scattered through out West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1951, Mrs. Bailey left the area as a young Navy wife and made her home for a short while in Jacksonville, Fla., where her three children were born. From there, her family moved to Norfolk where she lived a big portion of her adult life and started a long career as a meat wrapper for area food store chains. She continued that career after returning to Prosperity permanently in 1993 and had several years ago retired from the Kroger Food Store. Mrs. Bailey was a member of the Maple Fork Baptist Church, where her celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday with Pastor Robert Barley conducting the service. Friends may gather with the family Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the church and one hour prior to services on Monday. Online condolences may be sent to the family at blueridgefuneralhome.com Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley, W.Va.