Visitation will be from 4 – 6 p.m. Saturday, December 22 with a rosary service at 5:00 p.m. at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, December 23 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Entombment will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in the Msgr. Gleissner Mausoleum.
Edith was born on June 4, 1926, the daughter of Jerome and Agnes (Gabcik) Kocurek. She graduated from Dime Box High School and proceeded to earn her nursing diploma where she eventually worked at Bryan Hospital. She married Joe Frank Bayer in 1947 and they had 5 children together. Edith was a devoted mother and wife who gave selflessly to the raising of her children. No deed was too difficult when it came to her family. She helped and supported her husband in his business with the bookkeeping and also worked as a sales clerk at Woolsworth in Bryan where she eventually retired.
She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bryan, TX. Her deep and devout faith guided her life. She used the principles of her faith as a guide to raising her family. In the last few years, Edith was the leader of the pre-mass rosary at the St. Joseph Manor’s Chapel on Fridays.
She was full of surprises always have special treats prepared for her children when they came home from school. She doted on her grandkids always having goodies tucked in their cubby holes at her house when they came to visit.
Edith enjoyed trips to Las Vegas and Louisiana to play the slots. She was a long-time fan of the Houston Astros finally enjoying their winning a World Series in 2017. Edith enjoyed working outside in her garden growing an abundance of tomatoes and other vegetables and then canning them. Another favorite pastime of hers was fishing with her sister at Mary Lake.
Edith was a joyful woman with a positive attitude. She had the uncanny ability to see the good in each and every person. She always had a smile on her face. Edith was never wealthy monetarily, but her affection was priceless, and she gave all of it to each and every one of her family in abundance.
Edith is preceded in death by her parents, Jerome and Agnes Kocurek, her husband, Joe Bayer; brothers and sisters-in-law, Ted and Joan Kay, Hubert and Anne Kocurek; and sisters, Hattie Hubbard and Mildred Kocurek. In addition, she is survived by her five children, James Bayer and his wife Beckie, Loretta Fallwell and her husband Pat, Patrick Bayer, Larry Bayer, and Dianne Bayer. She is also survived by two grandchildren Jennifer Goode and her husband Jimmy and great grandchildren Caitlin and Jared; Kevin Bayer and his wife Jessica and great granddaughters Ava and Emma.
Edith was the most wonderful and loving mother and mother-in-law that children could ever desire. She can never be replaced and will be dearly missed by all the lives she touched.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hospice Brazos Valley Inpatient Facility in Bryan at hospicebrazosvalley.org
