MASON CITY — Nancy Elizabeth Bailey, 83, of Mason City, passed away Friday, September 4, 2026, at her home while under the care of St. Croix Hospice.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, September 12, at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd Street NE in Mason City, with Chaplain Jani Dahlin officiating. Nancy’s family will greet relatives and friends beginning at noon and continuing until the service.
Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Mason City.
Nancy Elizabeth Funk was born April 11, 1943, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the daughter of William “Willy” Funk and Margaret (McDonald) Bartusek.
Her earliest years began with a story shaped by World War II. Nancy’s father was serving during the war when he met Margaret in Ireland. Nancy was born there while circumstances kept her parents separated.
That changed on Nancy’s third birthday, when she and her mother completed the long journey from Ireland, through New York and eventually to Mason City, where they were finally reunited with her father.
North Iowa would become Nancy’s home for most of the rest of her life.
She attended Sugar Beet country school before graduating from Mason City High School. Nancy’s curiosity and willingness to try something new followed her into adulthood. She studied cosmetology and later returned to school to study electronic technology at North Iowa Area Community College.
Her career reflected that same variety.
Nancy’s first job was at Marnin’s Drive-In, which later became A&W. She also worked at Kmart and spent many years as a hairstylist at Guys & Gals Salon in Regency Mall.
Later, Nancy put her technical education to use while working at Unisys in Clear Lake.
But one of the ventures that perhaps reflected Nancy’s personality best was Gypsy Rose Gift Shop.
After becoming involved in the Wild Horses trade business and developing an appreciation for unusual and distinctive items, Nancy turned that interest into her own business. She owned and operated Gypsy Rose for roughly 20 years at three different locations in Mason City, including a location in the plaza at Southbridge Mall.
Gypsy Rose was more than a store. It carried much of Nancy’s own creative spirit.
She enjoyed pottery and ceramics, making jewelry, drawing and painting and creating Native American-inspired crafts. In more recent years, crocheting was added to her long list of artistic pursuits.
Some of Nancy’s own creations eventually became part of the merchandise at Gypsy Rose, sitting alongside the distinctive items she collected and offered to customers.
Music held an equally important place in her life.
Nancy played the violin and fiddle and eventually learned the bass. She possessed the unusual ability to play by ear rather than relying on written music.
Her children remembered going to sleep as youngsters while hearing their mother playing music elsewhere in the house — a sound that became part of the fabric of their childhood.
Nancy also collected vinyl records, enjoyed discovering new music and loved passing those discoveries along to others. Concerts were another favorite pastime.
Music also helped form an important bond with the man who became her husband.
Nancy married Paul Alan Bailey on July 13, 1989. The couple played music together and frequently traveled to concerts, sharing an affection for songs, performances and one another.
Their relationship was one Nancy’s family described as that of true soulmates.
Paul had his own special name for her. To him, Nancy was his “Sweet Pea.”
They shared nearly 28 years of marriage before Paul passed away October 6, 2017.
Those closest to Nancy knew a woman who was independent, strong-willed and never afraid to be herself.
Her family lovingly remembered her as a no-nonsense Irish woman with a powerful personality and a stubborn streak when the occasion called for it. Nancy could also communicate an entire opinion with little more than a look, leaving those who knew her well with no doubt what she was thinking.
Yet behind that toughness was an enormous capacity to care for people.
Nancy’s family extended far beyond biological ties. Over the years, she became a mother figure to numerous people who entered her life. Many came to know and love her simply as “Mom.”
Nancy leaves behind her children, Laurie (Paul) Chiarello of Plattsmouth, Nebraska, Dale Ficken of Mason City, Angela Hill of Muscatine and Mark Whitten of Mason City; stepdaughter, Stephanie (Matthew) Staver of Ankeny; 20 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; siblings Ron Bartusek and Donna Henaman; and many nieces, nephews, extended relatives and friends.
She also leaves behind the many people outside her immediate family whose lives she touched and who were fortunate enough to call her “Mom.”
Nancy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Paul Bailey; her parents, William “Willy” Funk and Margaret Bartusek; stepfather, Louis Bartusek; daughters Melinda Ficken and Michelle Morgan; and brothers Louis “Jim” Bartusek, Robert “Bart” Bartusek and Tony Bartusek.
Nancy’s life traveled a remarkable path — beginning across the Atlantic during the turmoil of World War II and eventually becoming firmly rooted in Mason City.
Along the way, she cut hair, worked with electronics, built a business, made art, played music, raised a family and welcomed countless others into her circle.
For those who knew her, Nancy will be remembered as unmistakably herself: creative, strong, stubborn at times, loving, musical and always capable of adding something memorable to the lives of the people around her.
Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel in Mason City is caring for Nancy and her family. To view the funeral home’s complete tribute and service information, please click here.
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