Evelyn Bailey

1920 - 2015

September 21, 1920 - December 19, 2015
Evelyn Louise Williams Bailey died on December 19th, 2015 at 95 years of age with her family by her side. She was born in Lemoore, California on September 21, 1920 to Louise Vanderburg Williams and Edward Jones Williams. She grew up in Houston, Texas graduating from San Jacinto High School and Rice Institute. Following graduation from Rice, she became a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy serving during WWII in the Communications Security Section in Washington D.C. decoding Japanese messages. It was during this time that she married the love of her life, Scott Field Bailey.

Following WWII, Evelyn and her husband lived in Nacogdoches and Austin serving Episcopal parishes and raising their family. It was during this time that she served as a volunteer for Planned Parenthood and cultivated her passion for genealogy. She was instrumental in founding St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Austin in the early 1950s.

The family moved to Houston in 1961 where they lived until 1975, when her husband was elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas and they moved to San Antonio. In San Antonio, she was a member of the Conservation Society, Our Reading Club, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, the Alamo Heights/ Terrell Hills Garden Club, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the Colonial Dames and the Democratic Party. With her children grown, she traveled with her husband throughout South Texas serving the church.

After retiring in 1985, the Baileys traveled the world, enjoyed their lake house in Austin and cherished their children, grandchildren and many dear friends.

Following the death of her husband in 2005, she set an example of living life to the fullest, keeping in touch with family and friends and participating in the life of the community and the church.

Evelyn Bailey was remembered by a Rice classmate as a "law unto herself." Although she always supported her husband and his work and her children, she had interests and passions of her own. Her energy and zest for life knew no bounds. Before it was popular to do so she served nutritious and organically grown food, practiced yoga, advocated for conservation of the environment, maintained an organic garden, worked for the rights of women by serving on the board of Houston Planned Parenthood, and supported friends in ways too numerous to list. She often opened her home to people who needed a place to stay for a while. In Houston, her guest house served as a safe haven for many people whose family members were being treated at the medical center. The house that she and her husband built on Lake Austin became a refuge for family and friends. She was a gracious hostess known for her delicious cooking and her ability to make everyone feel welcome. She was an avid reader with a wide variety of interests. She overcame obstacles and difficulties to achieve her goals and had strong opinions on many subjects which she was not afraid to express.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 62 years The Rt. Rev. Scott Field Bailey, her son Nick Bailey, her sister Nancy Grosjean, and her son in law Allen Taylor. She is survived by her children Louise Taylor, Scott Field Bailey Jr. and his wife Mary Louise, Sarah Fitzsimons and her husband Hugh, and grandchildren, Clayton Taylor, Nicholas Bailey, Bailey Taylor, Asa Fitzsimons, Patrick Fitzsimons, Evelyn Fitzsimons Clark, and Katherine Bailey Brown, six great grandsons and many nieces and nephews.

May her soul and the souls of all the departed rest in peace and may light perpetual shine upon them. There will be a Memorial Service, 11:00 am, Tuesday, December 29, 2015, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 315 E. Pecan, San Antonio, Texas. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mark's Episcopal Church in San Antonio, St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Austin or St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin.

You are invited to sign the guestbook at www.porterloring.com.
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