Vera Russell Bayles

Vera Bayles, affectionately known as “Blinky”, was taken home by her celestial angels on March 28, 2015 at 3:40 am while surrounded by her daughter and her nurses, Theresa, Tiawana, Sharday and Alise at Natchitoches Regional Medical Center in Natchitoches, LA. She was brought into this world at the home of her loving parents, Lila Blankenship and Roy Ellis Russell, on March 31, 1930 which was located on Russell Hill bordering Red Dirt and Bayou Derbonne not far from Derry, LA. After graduating from Cloutierville High School she married James Aubrey Foshee. This union produced five children. They all grew up on Sabine Street. It was the meeting place and hang out. There were children and teenagers everywhere! Someone was always playing a joke on someone else. Birthdays, teaching kids to drive, parties; if it happened, it happened on Sabine Street! Question was, “You live here or ride a bicycle?” Vera was always there to lend a helping hand or just sit and listen to what you had to say. She would give anything she had if she thought you needed it. “Why did you do that?”, people would ask. Her reply was, “Just because…” No woman could wear an evening gown like Vera. Turn on the music and she became the bell of the ball. Arthur Murray hang on to your tie! Fast forward quite a few years. She met and married Willard Bayles who had three children who were grown and married. She waved goodbye to the city life! She enjoyed being a homemaker, cooking, sewing, doing arts and crafts, being an avid reader, with a library of her own (including movies), and making quilts. She received great gratification in keeping the home fires burning in the yard regardless of what the temperature was outside! She had four sewing machines and two Sergers©. When one would break she would call her daughter in Baton Rouge, “My Serger is broke. You need to come fix it.” She replied, “Why not sew something else?” “Because my Serger is broke.” said Vera. “Mother you have five more machines.” She asked again, “I know but I am doing rolled hems. You need to come fix my machine. You do make house calls?” Vicki responded, “Yes, mother.” Then she and her husband would drive to Winnfield. She was a pistol! Grandchildren and great grandchildren began to be the joy of her life. She taught them how to care for orphaned squirrels and how to recognize various species of birds. She loved living. Her favorite outdoor activities were going to garage sales, exploring old cemeteries and going shopping at Couley Pointe Mall. She found many priceless treasures there. When she had to leave her home, on Saline Lake in Winnfield, and her beautiful snow white manx cat, Pepper, it broke her heart. For her 79th birthday her daughter Vicki and niece Gale Russell Thomas took her to Big MaMou to kick her heels up and listen to the different zydeco bands. That’s where Vera showed Gale her first lounge lizard. An exciting sober time was had by all. With her quick wit and pretty smile it didn't take long for her to settle in and become a cherished resident at The Courtyard. Her passion was the church services. One day she told Rev. Doug Lee she wanted to be baptized but she couldn't get to Cane River. The next thing she knew it had been arranged that she would be baptized there in the whirlpool bath. A group of aides lifted her up and she became the first resident to do so. She was saved, forgiven, and white as snow. The smile on her face was infectious. Praise the Lord! She was preceded in death by her parents, Lila “Bay” and Roy E. Russell; two sons, Dennis Aubrey Foshee and Mark Russell Foshee; a daughter, Ruth Ann Foshee; a step daughter, Gail Procell; four sisters, Mildred Broussard, Jean Johnson, Doris Miller, and Elmae Bierden; three brothers, Donald Glenn, Jimmy Ray, and Gerald Wayne Russell; two husbands, J. Aubrey Foshee and Willard Bayles; son-in-law, Curtis Houston Curry; and precious niece, Judy Carol Dortlon. Those left to cherish her memory include her daughter, Vicki Foshee McCorkel of Natchitoches, LA; her son, “Tiger” Kevin Foshee of Bossier City, LA; one sister, Bobbye Lee and husband Burl of Creston, LA; two stepsons, Ralph (Jean) Hernandez of Flora, LA and Charles (Shirley) Hernandez of South Carolina; 13 grandchildren, Lisa McCorkel Wright of Boulder, CO, Thomas McCorkel , III of Baton Rouge, LA, Dennis Lane Adams Foshee of Montgomery, LA, Justin Foshee McElwee of Florida, Jodi (Mark) Foshee Pierce of Winnfield, LA, Michael (Nicole) Foshee of Winnfield, LA, Kori (Shawn) Foshee Brosette of Fairview Alpha, LA, Bruce (Peggy) Hernandez of Flora, LA, Becky (Jason) Phillips of Flora, LA, Tony (Shirley) Hernandez of South Carolina, Christie Graves of Robeline, LA, Kerry Valdez of Eugene, and Shannon Mencia of Robeline, LA; 19 great grandchildren, Jacob Wright of Colorado, Kyle Wright of Shreveport, LA, B.G. Adams Foshee of Montgomery, LA, Taylor Smith of Winnfield, LA, Morgan Dugas of Winnfield, LA, Jescey Pierce of Winnfield, LA, Roman B. McCorkel of Lake Charles, LA, Gabriel McCorkel of Baton Rouge, LA, Keri Grant of Baton Rouge, LA, Ashley Grant of Baton Rouge, LA, Blayne McCorkel of Baton Rouge, LA, Curtis McCorkel of Baton Rouge, LA, Tanner Hernandez of Flora, LA, Dunkin Hernandez of South Carolina, Jacqueline and Melissa Strebeck of Robeline, LA, Dustin Elkins of Robeline, LA, Jennifer Sims of Robeline, LA, and Malakai Sandoval of Robeline, LA; ten great great grandchildren, Ian Wright of Colorado, Kameron Lynch McCorkel of Baton Rouge, LA, Jacksen and Trafford Foshee of Winnfield, LA, Jenna and Jonah Elkins of Robeline, LA, Alexis and Elyssa Strebeck of Robeline, LA, Laykyn and Austin Sims of Robeline, LA, and Hunter Rivers of Robeline, LA; a special friend, Bobbie Cedars Garner of Natchitoches, LA. The family wishes to express their gratitude to all the staff at The Courtyard but especially to Brittany Burr, Cheryl Dixon, Jewel Holland, and Judy Kavangh for their selfless dedication and tireless devotion in the tender loving care of Vera. They also wish to thank Dr.'s Ingram, Britten, Matta, Hogg, and Akamiro. Thank you to her sister Bobbye for having her hair cut every month. It always made her feel good getting to go to the beauty shop. Brittany thank you for seeing to it you Aunt Vera had clean clothes; it means a lot. She was a beautiful, fascinating, mysterious and spectacular person! She will be missed. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be announced at a later date.