Maudene Bailey

In Loving Memory of Maudene Bailey

July 27, 1933 - October 4, 2026

Maudene Bailey, 93, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of October 4, 2026, after spending her final days surrounded by the family who loved her.

Maudene was born July 27, 1933, in Poughkeepsie to Jasper and Rosa Runsick. Throughout her 93 years, she called several cities and states home, but Wichita became her longtime home. Arkansas always held a special place in her heart. She loved the family and friends she had there and treasured every opportunity to go back and visit.

In 1950, Maudene married Leland Bailey. They were married for 23 years and raised their two daughters, Rebecca "Becky" Bailey and Mona Bailey, before divorcing in 1973. Later in life, Maudene shared many years with her longtime companion, Fred Prey.

More than anything, Maudene loved people. She was naturally social and made friends wherever life took her. Some of those friendships lasted for decades. She lived a long enough life to say goodbye to many of her lifelong friends, but the love, laughter, and memories they shared stayed with her.

At the center of Maudene's life was her family. She was a deeply loving woman with an especially tender heart for children and babies. She loved being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. When Becky was raising Margo as a single mother, Maudene was there to help care for and raise her granddaughter. The special bond they formed lasted throughout her life. Years later, she experienced the joy of another generation with her great-granddaughters, Layla, Norah, and Mariam, whom she loved dearly.

Maudene had a wonderful appreciation for beauty and for the joyful things in life. She loved flowers and gardening, spending time outdoors, music, dancing, laughing, and having fun.

She was a true Southern lady who loved beautiful clothes and had impeccable taste. Maudene took pride in looking her best, and her family will always remember her beautifully curled hair and wonderful sense of style. Whether it was flowers in a garden, a beautiful outfit, or simply enjoying the outdoors, Maudene had an eye for the beautiful things around her.

Her Christian faith was an important part of who she was. It helped shape the loving and caring woman she became and was a source of strength throughout a life that brought both great joy and tremendous loss.

One of Maudene's greatest losses came in 1984 with the death of her daughter, Mona Bailey. She missed Mona tremendously for the rest of her life. Maudene also outlived her longtime companion, Fred Prey; her parents, Jasper and Rosa Runsick; her sisters, Maureen Bilbery, Bonnie Flowers, and Lela Tuggle; her brothers, Jim T. Runsick, Jay D. Runsick, and Otis Runsick; and many beloved friends.

For many years, Maudene lived with Alzheimer's disease. The illness changed the final chapter of her life, but it did not define her story.

Her story was a little girl born in 1933 who went on to live 93 years.

It was raising daughters and helping raise a granddaughter. It was loving children and babies and then having the joy of seeing another generation come into the family. It was faith, lifelong friendships, and trips back to Arkansas. It was flowers growing in the garden and time spent outdoors. It was beautiful clothes and perfectly curled hair. It was music playing, laughter filling the room, and dancing whenever there was a reason to dance.

Most of all, her story was love.

Maudene is survived by her daughter, Rebecca "Becky" R. Bailey; her granddaughter, Margo Dunagan; and her great-granddaughters, Layla Bouhouch, Norah Bouhouch, and Mariam Bouhouch, along with extended family and those fortunate enough to have called her a friend.

Her family will remember her in beautiful flowers, in music that makes us want to dance, in babies being passed from one loving pair of arms to another, in dressing up and looking our best, in laughter, and in the simple joy of being together.

She was deeply loved. She will be deeply missed. And she will always be part of us.