Lillian Ioleen Bales, 86
Lillian Ioleen Bales, 86, passed away on Oct. 14, 2007, at her home in Ferndale due to a stroke. She was born Dec. 8, 1921, in Dublin, Ind., in Wayne County. She attended grammar school in Straughn, Ind., and high school in Hagerstown, Ind.
She graduated from Oro Beauty College in Oroville, Calif.
In 1939, Lillian married Kenneth Bales in Richmond, Ind.
Lillian was owner/operator, tow truck driver and mechanic for Bales Garage in Redondo Beach, Calif. She was also a beauty operator at Mary's Beauty Salon in Oroville, and a homemaker.
She enjoyed participating in car swap meets, sponsored Little League Baseball and she and Kenneth were founding members of the Hilltop Jeep Club.
Lillian refinished collectibles and antiques, old and new dolls, doll clothes and wigs. She collected anything and everything, including collecting and selling old cars, trucks and parts.
She enjoyed quilting and crocheting and entered many of handmade goods in the county fair. She was a skilled sewer, enjoyed cake decorating, ceramics, dancing and raising canaries.
She also loved her jewelry.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Grace (Huffman) Miller; her son, Kenneth Bales Jr.; brothers, Arther, William and Clent; sisters, Carolyn Cochran, Beulah Perry and Betty Miller; in-laws, Eula, Ivan, Layton, Keith and Mark Bales; and nephew, Roy Gale Hunter.
Lillian is survived by her husband of 68 years last July, Kenneth Bales; children, Arleen Ryan, Jeannie Bales and Donald Bales; sister, Joyce, and Herbert Hunter, and sons, John and Virgil; sister-in-law, Hoyt Tye; daughter-in-law, Brenda, and husband Bobby Guard; grandchildren, Belinda Wessel, Tina DesRosiers, Joleen Berendt, Joe and Kelly Ryan Jr., Kenny Bales, Ronda McGrath, Frank, Erika, Donald and Alisha Bales, and Dayna Hauiderman; great-grandchildren, Daniel McGrath, Nina Ioleen Bales, Grant, Brad and Breann Wessel, Britney and Karlee DesRosiers, Sara Berendt, Michael Berendt and Darian Burns; and several cousins, nieces, nephews and special friends.
Cremation has taken place. Services will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to Hospice, or the Bigfork Quick Response.