Rita Courtney-Bailey

Rita, 78, was born in OKC to Jack and Virginia Zoeller Courtney on September 25, 1946 and entered eternal life on January 27, 2025. She attended Sacred Heart School and graduated from Mount St. Mary HS in 1964. Rita worked for many years as an accountant. Her final official job was at Smith and Nephew for over 20 years as a cost accountant. In her retirement, she volunteered at Christmas Connections (Sharing Tree) for many years.

 Rita was predeceased by her husband of 44 years, Daniel Bailey, her parents and brothers Johnny and Michael Courtney. Rita is survived by her niece (raised as her daughter) Cara McGrath and husband Kyle Seeley, and her three daughters through marriage, Deini English and husband Richard English, Holly Bilbrey and husband Greg Bilbrey, and Deirdre Fudge and husband David Fudge. She is also survived by her nine grandchildren and one great grandchild. She loved spending time with and talking about her family, especially her grandchildren. In addition, she is survived by many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, as the Zoeller and Courtney families are large in number. Rita enjoyed volunteering and serving others. Through many years, she cooked and hosted holidays and was always devoted to calling, visiting, and keeping in touch with her family members and friends. She continued to meet her Mt. St. Mary's classmates for lunch as often as she could. She greatly enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and many have described her as patient, calm and peaceful, but she could also be fun and silly. As Rita so profoundly stated in her last days of what we can't change, "It is what it is", and of her life "I have completed what I came here to do." We all cherish the time we had with Rita, and she lives on in our hearts and memories!

In lieu of flowers or other gifts, please consider a donation to Sharing Tree, 825 NW 24th Street, Moore, OK 73160.