It is with great sadness that the family of Edna Mary Bailey, formerly of West Francis Street, announce her passing on November 15, 2015 at Grandview Lodge following a lengthy illness.
Edna was born December 1, 1932 on Bailey Avenue and spent her entire life in Westfort. She attended Heath Park School and Fort William Collegiate before starting her work in the office at Woolworth’s on Victoria Avenue in the 1940s. In the 1960s she began working for the LCBO Warehouse on Harold Crescent. She retired in 1992 as Office Manager.
Her nieces and nephews were her pride and joy. She loved children and always had time for them. You could count on her to give her opinion freely and always speak her mind. She was very kind and had the most generous and giving heart. Edna was a devout Catholic and a member of St. Agnes Church.
She was a great organizer and helped with the Saturday night Bingos at St. Dominic’s Church in the East End for a number of years with the late Father China. She was also a co-founder and organizer of the LCBO Whiskey Brier which took place for a number of years here in Thunder Bay.
She is well known for her Christmas cakes which she took pride in making each year. Knitting, crocheting, reading and gardening were her favorite pastimes and Edna loved getting to know people and having conversations with them. She was very sad to leave her home but made many good friends at Grandview, becoming one of the three Musketeers along with Marilyn and Corrinne.
Edna was predeceased by her parents, Arthur and Phyllis Bailey and sister and brother-in-law, Lorraine and Jimmy Teskey.
She is survived by her sister, Arlene and brother in-law Sid Gelmich, nieces Elizabeth Teskey, Joni Atkinson (Burlington), nephew Philip Atkinson (Jane), great nephew William of Burlington, Adam Atkinson (Rachel) of Fort McMurray and Susan Pukila (Reuben), Johnathon Pukila, Doug Gelmich (Tammy), Justin and Jenna Gelmich and Dan Gelmich. She is also survived by her childhood friend, Sally Bragnalo.
Funeral mass will be celebrated on Thursday, November 19 at 12:10 p.m.in St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church on Brown Street. Visitation will take place an hour before the service in the Church. Interment will follow privately for family. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Diabetes Association, Cancer Society or Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Edna Bailey will be remembered in the Blake Funeral Chapel Memorial Grove. Annual dedication service Sunday, June 12, 2016.
