Therese Elisabeth Bailkey

Therese Elisabeth Zuzok Bailkey, 94, passed away April 11 at her Chapel Hill home with family by her side after several months of declining health.

Therese was born February 18, 1926, in Ratibor, Germany, to Hubert and Elisabeth Zuzok. Her family fled to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, during World War II.

She met her future husband, the late Dr. Nels Martin Bailkey, a Tulane University history professor, at a bus stop in Garmisch. He asked for directions in German, she replied in English and so began two years of a long-distance romance. After fulfilling visa regulations, she sailed to the U.S. in March 1956 where they were married in New Orleans on a Tuesday afternoon after Professor Bailkey finished teaching his classes. She lovingly raised two children, made dear friends and was a longtime officer of the Tulane Women’s Association during nearly 50 years of living in the city.

World War II and Hurricane Katrina forced Therese to flee two homes she dearly loved. In both cases, however, she embraced and became strongly attached to her new communities. She was a lover of nature, especially songbirds. She enjoyed travel and often returned to Germany with her daughter.

Since relocating to Chapel Hill in 2005, Therese cherished time with family, including sharing the family dog, Zuri. She established deep ties with Habitat for Humanity of Durham, where her generous support included sponsoring homes for four families and led to her being affectionately called “Mother Therese” by the Durham Habitat community.

Therese taught her family to always be grateful and to appreciate the beauty of little things.

Therese is survived by her son, Martin Bailkey, of Madison, WI; daughter, Jennifer Bailkey McFarland and husband Michael of Chapel Hill; granddaughters Elisabeth McFarland of Raleigh and Margaret McFarland of Washington, D.C.; and niece Christiane Zuzok Laroche and husband Gary of Yachats, OR. She is also survived by her devoted caregiver and loyal friend of the past 12 years, Marsha Ham of Durham.

The family will celebrate Therese’s life with a Funeral Mass at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to Habitat for Humanity of Durham, durhamhabitat.org.