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BAILEY, Mary Blair

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Mary-Bailey-1516540559
Late Wednesday afternoon our beloved mother passed away peacefully with family at her side. Mary, daughter of Helen Blair and Thomas Lloyd Gledhill, was in her 91th year. She was predeceased by her husband Jim Bailey (2011), her daughters Janet (1978) and Margaret (1973) her sister Eleanor Marsh and her brother Tom Gledhill. She is fondly remembered by her children Marion Richardson (Brian) and grandchildren Marc (Lauren) and Leah (Adam), son Joseph Bailey (Lori) and grandchildren Marla (Paul) and Mitchell and son Matthew Bailey (Cyndie) and grandchildren Caitlin (David) and Jonathan (Kate) and her sister Catherine Rahme (Nanaimo) and sister-in-law Barbara Gledhill (Toronto) and many nieces and nephews.

Mary was born in Kincardine Ontario while the family was finishing their summer vacation. She grew up in Toronto and attended John Ross Robertson primary school and then moved to Whitby Ontario where she attended high school and enjoyed many school activities especially athletics.

After high school Mary trained as a nurse at Toronto General Hospital where she met her soul mate, Jim Bailey, a handsome young intern. They married within nine months and moved to Barrie where Dad started his medical practice and he and Mom raised their family and made many close friends. 

Mary was an active member of the community. She was a lifetime volunteer at Royal Victoria Hospital and the Gryphon Theatre Guild and also a member of the UCW at Collier St. Church and a supporter of the Barrie Horticultural Society, Community Concerts Association and the Huronia Symphony. Through her community involvement she developed close friendships with many dedicated community minded women who were the backbone of many cultural and health organizations in the Barrie.

Mary was a calm gentle caring influence in our lives. She and Dad provided care and comfort at home to their two severely disabled children, Janet and Margaret while also raising their three other active children, Marion, Joe and Matt. Mom also cared for both her mother and our father at home in their later years. 

During their lives together they developed a passion for flower gardening at their home on Valley Drive and vegetable gardening at the “bush” in Oro. Their flower gardens graced our street and were admired by everyone who passed by their home

Through Mom our family maintained close ties to Kincardine where her mother was born and lived in her later years. We shared a cottage north of town with relatives and enjoyed family vacations at the cottage on Lake Huron during our childhood.

Despite the challenges of their busy lives our parents hosted many family gatherings over the years that are fondly remembered by the extended family. Mom was an inspiration to everyone who knew her. We are blessed to call her our mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She will be in our hearts forever. 

We would like to extend our many thanks to the wonderful staff and Edie and Louise at Walden Circle in Mississauga for their loving and compassionate care of our Mother over the past few years. 

We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to the medical and nursing staff on the Orthopedic floor at Trillium Healthcare Centre who demonstrated exceptional humanity, kindness, comfort and care to our Mother during her final weeks of life. 

Saturday January 27, 2018 a visitation will be held from 10:30 -12:00 am followed by a service at 12:00 noon at Steckley-Gooderham Funeral Home, 30 Worsley St. Barrie, Ontario.

Donations, if desired, may be made in Mary’s memory to the RVH Hospital Foundation, Hospice Simcoe, the Barrie Horticultural Society or a charity of your choice. 



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