Thetis "Betty" Bailey Strickland,'s Obituary
Thetis “Betty” Bailey Strickland, age 98, passed away peacefully at Suwannee Valley Hospice Care Center in Lake City on Sunday, June 2, 2024.
Betty was born on October 22, 1925, to William Bailey Sr. and Cynthia Donaldson in Madison County, Florida. She was raised on the family farm alongside her beloved twin brother, William “Billy” Bailey Jr., 2 younger brothers Gilbert and John and an older sister Georgia Mae, before moving to Sarasota at the age of 17 to complete high school. After graduation, she worked at the Venice Army Airfield Base during World War II. Following the war, she transferred to the VA hospital in St. Petersburg, where she fell in love and married sailor Donald F. Strickland. Together they moved to Ocala before settling in Gainesville in 1960 to raise their two children. Betty retired from the City of Gainesville in 1992 after 20 years of dedicated service. She was a former member of both Parkview and Orange Heights Baptist churches as well as the Salvation Army Home League. She enjoyed exercising at the Gainesville Health and Fitness Women’s Center, baking for others, gardening, and most of all, spending time with family, especially her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and 3 nephews, George, David and Paul Bailey who visited often and showered her with their love.
She was preceded in death by her husband Donald F. Strickland Sr., son Donald F. Strickland Jr., parents, and 4 siblings.
Betty leaves behind her daughter and son-in-law, Sandy and Randy Burford; daughter-in-law Brenda Strickland; 5 grandchildren: Donnie Strickland, Scott (Amber), Mark (Amanda), Brett (Christine), and Julie Burford; 8 great-grandchildren; and her beloved rat terrier, Missy.
A graveside service will be held on June 5, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. at Forest Meadows Memorial Park East, 3700 SE Hawthorne Road in Gainesville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to E.T. York Hospice Care Center, 4200 NW 90th Blvd, Gainesville, FL, 32606.
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