Bailey, Marjorie Jean

Age 78

Marj’s farm home in Stanstead, Quebec was financially strapped but filled with love.  When a child she lost her father.  At her mother’s second marriage, she met Richard and there followed 59 years of  loving marriage.  Her outstanding command of the English language grammar and spelling led to employment as a bank manager’s secretary, followed by a move to a Montreal lawyer’s office, and then to a second lawyer who had just won a close by-election to the Quebec legislature.  Her first day on the job was exciting as the provincial election was called that morning.

Always a self-starter, Marj pursued her TESL degree at Concordia University and during that period son

Douglas and daughter Natalie arrived.  Her studies were completed at Notre Dame University following a move to Nelson in 1976.

Many years at the regional Ministry of Forests on Lake Street saw her become the referral letter-writer where her ability to communicate and to pay attention to detail came to the fore.

A youthful Marj joined the Beta Sigma Phi sorority in St. Jean, Quebec and continued in Nelson where she made many great friends.  Other groups she enjoyed after retirement included the Nelson Bookies, the Red Hat group, and the BC Government Retired Employees Association.

Marj’s interests included music, reading, gardening, sewing (she made her own wedding dress) and cooking.  Above all, she put socializing with family and friends.  Our annual trek to visit niece Diane, sister-in-law Holly, and lifelong friend Sheila in the Lower Mainland were dear to her heart and sorely missed during the past two years.

Always planning for the future with optimism, Marj followed the motto:

Learn from Yesterday; Live for Today; Hope for Tomorrow

Marj slipped away quietly Feb. 28th with her husband Richard by her side.

She was predeceased by mother Hilda, stepfather Homer, sisters Donna (Claude) and Joyce (Wilfrid), brother Jim (Gwen).  She will be sorely mourned by her husband and children, nieces Diane, Lois, and Laura, and numerous grandnieces, grandnephews, and honorary grandson Christopher and granddaughter Rachel, as well as her many friends.

Cremation has taken place.  Marj would be grateful for donations to be made to the BC Cancer Society.