Celebrating The life of Gertrude Yarbrough Bagley 1930 – 2017

Gertrude (Yorgie) Yarbrough Bagley passed away peacefully   in her sleep at her  home in Hunstville, Alabama, last January 28, 2017, surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma to Thomas Yarbrough and Susie Buck. She was preceded in death by her parents and seven siblings: John Yarbrough, Paul Yarbrough, Marie Powell, Pauline Wapskineh, Frank Yarbrough, Jerry Frank and Sonny Frank. She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWA) Aniceto I. Bagley, USA-Ret., daughter Karen (Robert) S. Gallaher of Kingston, TN, son Robert W. Wagley of El Paso, TX, daughter Karen (Robert) S. Gallaher of Cross Roads, AL, grandson Aaron (Katy) K. Gallaher of Tallahassee, Fl., great-grandson JJ Gimbel of Tallahassee, FL; granddaughter Aricia (Rick) C. Mincy of Chattanooga, TN; and grandsons Cameron C. Klinner of Huntsville, AL; and Ryan E. Williams of Lawrenceville, GA.

 

Yorgie graduated from Haskel Institute, Lawrence, Kansas, in May   1949. In May 1950, she enlisted in the US Army Women Army Corps (WAC) from where  she received an Honorable Discharge in January 1952. Soon after joining the WAC, she was assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas, where she met her husband, Aniceto I. Bagley. They were married in April 1951. Immediatly afte the wedding, Yorgie went to Okinawa for an overseas assignment while her husband was assigned in  White Sands Proving Ground (WSPG), New Mexico. Upon her return from Okinawa and her discharge from the  Women’s Army Corp WAC, Yorgie took up her role as an Army wife, following her husband to one assignment at WSPG;  three to Germany; one to the Presidio of San Francisco; one to Fort Bliss, and three to Redstone Arsenal, AL. During this period, which included two unaccompanied tours to Korea by her husband, Yorgie managed to raise their three children.

Upon her husband’s retirement from the Army in 1976, Yorgie continued her role as a Homemaker. She was a Life Member of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Auxiliary, Unit 26; the American Legion Post 237; and the Philippine American Association of Alabama, Inc.

Funeral arrangements were  made by the Laughlin Service Funeral Home, Inc. , where her body was cremated. Her ashes will be interred at the   Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to your favorite charity. #

 

Reflections

Mr. Aniceto Ilanga Bagley, loving husband for 65 years of the late Mrs. Trudy or “Yorgie’ (her husband’s petname for her) is a native of Carles, Iloilo, Philippines. He is the eldest of the  11 successful children of a highly-respected and beloved Ilanga family in Carles. His father, the late Enrico Ilanga served as Mayor; his Mama, the late Mrs. Josefa Ilanga was a teacher, equally-loved by the townspeople. Mr. Ilanga was  a prime-mover in the town specially during the Japanese occupation. At age two, “Sitong” as Mr. Bagley was fondly called in Carles,  was adopted by a wonderful American couple, Mr. Augustus Bagley and his wife, Merle Lucile Bagley (both deceased). Then, the Philippine Islands  was a colony of the United States. The Bagleys came back to the Islands to live there until WWII. Then, they became the objects of the anger of the Japanese against the Americans.  The Ilanga family endangered their lives by “hiding” the Bagleys from the Japanese. To make this story, Mr. Aniceto Bagley and his adoptive American parents  went back with his Bagley parents to live in the States serving the US Army where he met his wife,  Yorgie, who shared the same passion “To Serve and Protect” America. Today, this 91-year-old Army Hero has a very long list  of heroic duties and Meritorious Awards,  we can write a good book about him along with his departed beloved Yorgie.  Both Heroes, they have  rendered meritorious Services for their Love of America. Land of the Free. Home of the Brave. Like the Bagleys.

In reflection, Mr. Bagley said: “I chose the Army as my career and did my service with honor. When my adoptive parents move back to the States, I was usually the only Filipino around. But because I speak the American English without a “foreign accent”, nobody treated me differently. Speaking about my “Army wife” Yorgie, she put up a lot that a wife would normally…  not expect to do. Discipline in the Army extends into family life and wives have to conform to our “informal chain of command” like their Army husband. Having been in the service herself, Yorgie was able to cope… with difficulties at times.  In spite of our  frequent moves, she was able to raise our three wonderful children and be a loving wife. We had  SIXTY-FIVE WONDERFULL YEARS TOGETHER… I will not hesitate to live it again.  I will surely miss, my Yorgie.  Always.” (By Elsie Sy-Niebar)