Connie Bailey

Connie Jean (Leaverton) Bailey was born February 5, 1962 in Sunnyside, Washington. She attended school there and worked at the local drive-in, Erin’s, during high school. One evening while she was at work, a tall boy pulled up in his ’67 Camaro and Connie caught sight of the man she would spend the rest of her life with. She became the bride of Jann Bailey on October 17, 1981. Connie took Jann to church, gently introduced him to her faith in Jesus Christ and was right beside him, squeezing his hand, as he made the decision to give his life to Christ as well. Together Connie and Jann served in churches for many years as they poured their lives into kids and youth ministries in Kirkland, St. Maries, and Naselle. Connie had a gift for coordinating events and planning outings. She was creative, knew how to make any gathering or event fun, loved to celebrate and gave of herself willingly. She loved those days of doing ministry and life side by side with Jann, Brian and Joan, and Martha. Those memories were treasures to her. 
Connie’s closest friend for life was her sister, Bonnie. They shared stories and laughs daily, and pumpkin spice lattes as often as they could. Distance never weakened their bond as they were always planning their next time together.

While Connie had various jobs over the years - doing bookwork and accounting, running a childcare program, teaching her beloved piano students, assisting with costuming for the theater department at West Valley High School - they can all be summed up by the one thing Connie did best: she loved people. She loved working with them and serving them. She loved creatively solving problems and caring for their needs. She loved making them feel loved, celebrating them, and letting them know she cared. No matter what job she had, that is what Connie did. She also loved a good yard sale. Always. The history of her life could quite possibly be told in good finds, good deals, and a good story to go with each of them. She loved combing the beach for seashells. And she loved biscuits and gravy. One of the greatest days of Connie’s life was February 28, 1994 when Ashley was placed in her arms - the baby she had longed for, cried for and prayed for, for many years. Connie had spent much of her life loving other people’s children well, and when Ashley arrived she was more than ready to pour her life and love into the daughter God had given her. Ashley was never far from Connie’s thoughts.

Connie loved and valued family. She stayed connected with cousins and extended family, loved to gather people and share memories, and made the effort to stay connected. She was well-known for bringing the perfect vegetable tray and Uncle Dan’s to every family gathering. Most notably, she loved her parents. She honored them, cared for them faithfully, and missed them every single day since they passed. 

The last few years of Connie’s life were lived under the shadow of a stroke that robbed her mobility and thus, some of her life. They were not easy years for Connie. But she never stopped loving. She never stopped laughing. And she never lost faith in her Lord Jesus Christ. The anchor holds. Connie is survived by Jann Bailey of Yakima, Ashley Bailey of Yakima, a soon to be born grandson of Yakima, Mike (Barbara) Leaverton of Tri-Cities, Norm (Beverly) Leaverton of Yakima, Bonnie (David) Myhill of Roseburg and numerous aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, extended family and friends, who not only loved her, but were loved dearly by her. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Connie Bailey, please visit our flower store.