Betty Jean (Bailey) Gehring

Betty Jean Gehring, 89, of Howard, South Dakota passed away on July 5, 2018 at Fargo, North Dakota. Memorial services will be 2 pm, Saturday, July 21, 2018 at Beach United Methodist Church, Howard, with inurnment in Graceland Cemetery, Howard. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church. Betty Jean (Gehring) Bailey was born November 19, 1928 in Howard to Charles Richard and Leona Mae (Williams) Bailey. Betty attended school in Howard and was a graduate of Howard High School. As a young girl she was saddened by the unexpected death of her beloved brother Charles Francis. At a very young age, she began babysitting and cleaning houses. Before her marriage, she worked as a dental assistant. After marrying Marvin Alfred Gehring on October 15, 1948 in Howard, she moved to the Gehring homestead where they lived for the next 52 years; she helped in many ways on the farm. She was an avid gardener and grew fabulous tomatoes and flowers. They raised Babcock chickens from Simpson Hatchery in Mitchell, SD, and later expanded by opening Mother’s Gehring’s Goose Hatchery on the farm; for several years she was the “GO TO LADY” for goslings.  They closed the goose hatchery after Marvin retired from farming.  Not one to rest, she then worked for several years at Good Samaritan Home as a CNA. She loved to bake Christmas goodies and make holiday meals for the family.  After Marvin’s death in 2001, she moved back into her childhood home in Howard.  She was a lifelong active member of Beach United Methodist Church. She served as choir director, sang in the choir, directed the children’s choir, and was actively involved in the UMW and church circles. She and Marvin attended neighborhood card parties, and faithfully attended the Friday night dances at the Madison Senior Citizens Club. For over 15 years, they provided lodging and meals at the farm for pheasant hunters from the Twin Cities area. She was proud of the Gehring family homestead and the recognition received at the 2010 State Fair in Huron as a Quasquicentennial Farm recognizing 125 years and the 7th generation of the Gehring family farm. She was also an enthusiastic supporter of the Howard community and contributed a room to the new Howard Hotel and Conference Center; she was so proud of the plaque she received that originally hung by the room in the hotel. She was instrumental in compiling the Mac and McNamara family histories. She was a member of the Royal Neighbors of America. Those grateful for having shared in her life include her daughter: Pam (George) Stowe of Bemidji, MN; her son: Steve Gehring (Teodoro Macias) of Lombard, IL; her four grandchildren: Ben (Cheyenne) Stowe of Bemidji, MN; Danny (Tynisha Weber) Stowe of Bemidji, MN; Michael Stowe and Tonja Hoefler both of Union City, CA; Krista Stowe and Zach Loppnow both of Anoka, MN; Seven Great Grandchildren: Rayni Gullett, Bemidji, MN; Geordan Stowe, Bemidji, MN; Grace Stowe, Bemidji, MN; Isaiah Stowe, Hill City, MN; Rylie Goldenstein, Bemidji, MN; Noah Goldenstein, Bemidji, MN; Chante Stowe, Bemidji, MN; Special Great Grandchildren: Allie and Londyn Shumaker, Howard, SD; numerous cousins and close friends locally and out of town. Betty was preceded in death by her parents Charles Richard Bailey, Leona Bailey husband Marvin Gehring and brother Charles Francis Bailey.

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