KENNETH ALAN BAILEY

FUNERAL HOME

R R Bringhurst Funeral Home

225 Belmont Ave

Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

KENNETH BAILEY Obituary

Name: Funeral service for KENNETH ALAN BAILEY
Start: 2020-01-18T17:00:00.000Z
Location: Calvary Presbyterian Church

BAILEY
KENNETH ALAN
83, of Blue Bell, PA died on Friday, January 10, 2020. Ken grew up in Wyncote and was a graduate of Penn Charter and Ursinus. His career at Friends Select, where he taught Physical Education and coached soccer and swimming spanned 40 years. Ken spent many summers teaching campers the fine art of canoeing, a skill he put to exuberant use upon retirement. Ken was certified as a National Safety Patrol Instructor and patrolled the upper Delaware River, keeping kayakers and canoeists safe.
When not on the river, Ken traveled to area retirement communities where he ministered to residents through his gift of music. An avid pianist, Ken delighted in playing everything from show tunes to hymns so others could sing along. He especially loved Lunch Bunch, a group he started for seasoned members of his church and community in need of a hot meal and fellowship. The group flourished and continues to meet monthly.
Ken was a Ruling Elder at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Wyncote, PA, where he served on the Property Committee and often played for the congregation during Sunday morning worship.
In addition to his colleagues from Friends Select and the Safety Patrol in Port Jervis, Ken leaves behind a life full of many close friends and his loving family. Surviving are his brother Donald and wife Mary Ann in Wayne and their children, Virginia and David Crockett, Lisbeth Veghte, Barbara and Andrew and their families. He is also survived by his brother Walter, wife Jean, and their children Caren and Don Roelands, and Patricia and Daniel O'leary, and their children, all of California. Funeral Service will be held at Calvary Presbyterian Church, 217 Fernbrook Ave., Wyncote, PA on Sat., Jan. 18th, at 12 Noon.

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Published by The Philadelphia Inquirer on Jan. 17, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for KENNETH BAILEY

Sponsored by R R Bringhurst Funeral Home CLOSED.

9 Entries

Greg Hargrove

January 22, 2020

I have been helping Ken with his computer since we became neighbors at Village of Oxford. He was not a fan of the computer but I got him up to speed and have been helping him out every since. He was a good friend that I would help as often as he needed. I had no idea that things took a turn for the worst until yesterday. I last spoke to him on 12/31/2019 and now I will never speak to him again. Ken, you have taught me a couple things or two about my crazy ways. I will always remember you as a get-up-and-go excitable guy. I hope you were comforted at the end. God bless you Ken.

Bruce Gessner

January 22, 2020

I had the good fortune of attending Friends Select School from 1968 through 1974. Master Ken was the Director of Athletics along with being the Varsity soccer coach and Varsity wrestling coach. He had a profound impact on me and my entire class throughout the years. He was unique and he always took the time to listen to each of us when we thought we had the next great idea for how the sports programs could be advanced.

I will miss Master Ken being here among us. I've always felt that as we grow older, we start to realize who those special individuals in our lives have been. They stay with us forever. Master Ken is certainly one of those individuals for me.

I extend my deepest sympathies to Master Ken's family, friends and students.

Rose Fisher

January 18, 2020

Ken took my silver splash class and when I first started teaching 7 years ago, he helped me become a better teacher. He always had thoughtful feedback on my teaching style and became one of my most frequent participants. He had a wonderful sense of humor and put up with my jokes. He always said something positive after every class! I will miss him every day.

January 18, 2020

I only knew Ken for a few years through Calvary Church. He always had a smile on his face. His seat in front of me will be empty which makes me sad. He would often tell me stories of being on the rivers. RIP my friend. My condolences to his family

Lisa Sarappo

January 18, 2020

I met "Teacher Ken" in 1986 when I started teaching at Friends Select School. I enjoyed being his colleague and friend for 12 years there. Ken was always full of life and energy. He loved teaching, coaching, and canoeing. He also played the piano beautifully. He was a happy, positive person and a pleasure to be around. I learned so much from him. His presence in this world will be sorely missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

John Oakey

January 17, 2020

A poem for Ken:

Kwonishi

We strapped into the pontoon plane, and the engine roared to life, deafening.
We steadied ourselves in the rattling belly, as the beast sprayed across the surface
And groaned airborne
Alone in our thoughts we arced over the Canadian wild rivers and woods,
The loud hum lulling us into this leaving
Of everything behind

Punched down, rippling the smooth river:
untied the canoes, transferred the supplies, and paddled to shore.
The pilot waving as he splashed away into the air,
Leaving Ken and ourselves alone in this silent country
To prepare the camp and await the others.

Ken's translation of Kwonishi seemed to be dependent on the moment you asked him.
He said it was Native American for, A good place, or A gathering of friends, or, Quiet down, back there, I'm trying to drive a Chevy Suburban full of teenagers across the Canadian border.
Native American, it should be noted, isn't a language.

Why he did it all those years remains sort of a mystery to me. Think of all the planning, the liabilities, the tomfoolery of teenaged boys. I'm certain he lost money on the endeavors.

When Ken was angry with us, he might loudly curse, Ah, horse petunias!
Or he might sit us in a circle for a talk, pacing back and forth in his
Highly energetic fashion, then stop in his tracks, hunker into an inexplicable squat,
One finger extended purposefully into the air, and
Begin, Not to mention any names, but SOMONEahem, Andy!I mean I'm not mentioning
Anyone specific here, but someone didn't tie up the boats properly, and he would cut his eyes at Andy again, but they would flit to the rest of us, because we were all involved, and he knew itand that message was clear,
Just as clear as his bouncing eyebrows and the half-smile flickering in the corner of his mouth.

I remember the one time I really disappointed him. It was the end of a trip, and some friends and I decided to trade canoes in the middle of a length of river so wide it felt more like a lake, leaving a boy a grade below us stranded, paddling frantically in circles, while the three of us laughed

That evening Ken talked to me about the danger of it, the potential for drowning, the decisions that are committed like snapped fingers, but then grow into haunting eternity.

I remember another trip, just the second day, practicing upstream ferries.
Doug Morrissey and I were swept into a whirlpool that we couldn't paddle out of.
We were laughing like idiots until we realized it was cycling us backwards toward the mouth of a rapid.
That's when we began paddling in earnest.
But it was no use.

Stop paddling! Ken yelled to us, repeating himself countless times until we finally heard him. An indelible sensation of magic entered me as I felt the current spin us around and the whirlpool spit us back out where we had started.

I often felt in the presence of God on Kwonishi trips with Ken.

I hope he knew the depth of his gift to me.

I believe that he did.

Marc Magnus-Sharpe

January 17, 2020

To the extended family of my dear friend Ken Bailey, I offer my deepest condolences and prayers for peace.

Ken's passing came as such a shock to my wife and I, especially after thoroughly enjoying his company recently. We were celebrating the 40th anniversary of the National Canoe Safety Patrol together, an organization dear to his heart. He was his usual joyful and caring self, surrounded by his second family of over 70 whitewater rescue patrollers. Ken was a stalwart member of NCSP for over 23-years.

Ken Bailey was "one-of-a-kind" in so many ways, and he left an unforgettable impression on all of us.

I first met Ken in May 2005. Imagine meeting him for the first time in New York City. A man larger than life though slightly shorter in stature, he was going up the stairwell of a high school with a 90-pound, 17' canoe on his back. After helping him get the canoe up to the third floor we made introductions. With a smile as wide as a canoe paddle, Ken reached out his hand and said "we're taking 120 9th graders on a three day canoe trip. You should join us." There was no doubt I was going to follow this guy anywhere. And we've been paddling and laughing together ever since.

Ken had that warm and special way with all who met him. He was a great listener who worked tirelessly for others. He made us all better people in the most important ways. Ken will be dearly missed.

This coming summer, we'll again be on the river, rescuing folks, inspired by Ken to enjoy simple pleasures, listen to others, and embrace our differences. We'll paddle through the rapids and hear his laughter in the ripples, feel his presence in the breeze, and find the sunshine of his smile sparkling off the waves, with tears in our eyes. See you on the water my friend.

Sincerely,
Marc
NCSP Commodore

January 17, 2020

"Our prayers and thoughts are with the family during this trying time, we wish them strength and may the God of all comfort give them all the support and courage needed.

Marc Magnus-Sharpe

January 15, 2020

To the extended family of my dear friend Ken Bailey, I offer my deepest condolences and prayers for peace.

His passing came as such a shock to my wife and I, especially after thoroughly enjoying his company recently. We were celebrating the 40th anniversary of the National Canoe Safety Patrol together, an organization dear to his heart. Ken was his usual joyful and caring self, surrounded by his second family of over 70 whitewater rescue patrollers. Ken was a stalwart member of NCSP for over 23-years. Ken Bailey was "one-of-a-kind" in so many ways, and he left an unforgettable impression on all of us.

I first met Ken in May 2005. Imagine meeting him for the first time in New York City. A man larger than life though slightly shorter in stature, Ken was going up the stairwell of a high school with a 90-pound, 17' canoe on his back. After helping him get the canoe up to the third floor we made introductions. With a smile as wide as a canoe paddle, Ken reached out his hand and said "we're taking 120 9th graders on a three day canoe trip. You should join us." There was no doubt I was going to follow this guy anywhere. And we've been paddling and laughing together ever since.

Ken had that warm and special way with all who met him. He was a great listener who worked tirelessly for others. He made us all better people in the most important ways. He will be dearly missed and he will be with us always in spirit.

This coming summer, we'll again be on the river, rescuing folks, inspired by Ken to enjoy simple pleasures, listen to others, and embrace our differences. We'll paddle through the rapids and hear his laughter in the ripples, feel his presence in the breeze, and find the sunshine of his smile sparkling off the waves, with tears in our eyes. See you on the water my friend.

Sincerely,

Marc
NCSP Commodore

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