Tribute: Lillian Grace (Bailey) Lubold

Lillian Lubold, age 91, passed away November 1, 2012 at Valley Good Samaritan Day Spring Unit, Greenacres, WA.

She was born October 13, 1921 on the Isle of Que on the Susquehanna River, Selinsgrove, PA to Claude and Mary Bailey. Lillian attended Selinsgrove High School, Selinsgrove, PA., where she played first clarinet in the school band along with her future husband, Bob. She was also a member of the Commercial Law Club, a typist on the year book staff and lettered in both Band and Basketball.

Bob’s family moved before graduation in 1940 but he walked and even hitchhiked to continue to see Lillian. Lillian worked in a garment factory while Bob worked in a furniture factory as they each continued to live with their parents. On August 29,1941, they were married in the Zion Lutheran Church, Sunbury, PA, by Bob’s uncle the Rev. Raymond Lubold. They honeymooned at Niagara Falls, NY.

Lillian and Bob set up housekeeping in Montgomery, PA, where Lillian became a housewife and then a mother while Bob worked at factory jobs. Bob entered the Army in 1945. By this time Bob, Jr. and Susan had been born.

These were lean times and Lillian was up to the challenge. She could stretch the money and the groceries with the best and sewed much of their clothing. After Bob’s discharge from the service, two more children were added to the family, Mary and Dawn. Bob was offered a promising job in Odessa, WA. Lillian stayed in PA with the four kids, while in January 1951 Bob traveled out west to give the job a trial run. The job worked out, and Lillian took on the daunting task of selling their home in PA, sorting and selling belongings, packing up the remainder and four young children for the train trip to Odessa.

The family was reunited on Memorial Day weekend 1951. In Odessa, Lillian continued to act as family accountant, seamstress, cook, etc. while Bob worked as a mechanic for the Odessa Trading Co. She sewed everything from pajamas to wedding gowns through the years. One specialty was tiny wedding gowns for Barbie dolls which made wonderful gifts. Lillian was an excellent cook and her baked goods were famous especially her pies which were renowned for their tender, flaky crusts. While living in Odessa, Sharon, the last child was added to the family. Lillian always supplemented her family’s meals with wonderful produce from her garden and fruit purchased from orchards, which she home canned and froze.

Lillian loved to read and passed that love on to all five of her children. She was active with the Odessa Library serving as a board member. She and Bob were very active in their church, Christ Lutheran over the years. Making the apple strudel for Deutches Fest was a huge activity that they both were greatly involved in each year. Lillian was also widely known for her crazy patch quilts and for helping with the quilt sewing group at the church. Large numbers of quilts were made over the years for charity by this group with Lillian’s help. Lillian and Bob celebrated their 64th anniversary in 2005.

Lillian was preceded in death by Bob in 2006, daughter Mary Parr, brothers Clyde and Francis Bailey and sisters Phoebe Gemberling and Pauline Hockenbrocht. She is survived by children Bob Lubold Jr., Susan Janke (Allen), Dawn Ivans, and Sharon Russell (Paul), Also many grandchildren, great grandchildren, step grandchildren and step great grandchildren, sister Rose Hartranft, and one sister-in-law, Mary Heddings.

Committal Service will be Monday, November 19 at 10 a.m. at the Odessa Cemetery. Memorial Service will follow at 11 a.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, Odessa, WA with a luncheon to follow at the church. Memorials may be made to Christ Lutheran Church, Odessa WA 99159 or the Alzheimer’s Association-Inland NW Chapter, 910 W “S” Ave., Ste. 256, Spokane WA 99204. Please sign our guest book at http://www.stratefuneralhome.com. Strate Funeral Home, Davenport WA, is caring for the family.