Martha Fern Bailey

Fern Landphere Bailey, 86, of Los Altos, California, passed away August 5 surrounded by loving family at her home. Born Martha Fern Campbell in 1939 in Idaho Falls, ID, to Charles and Martha, and the eldest of four girls, Fern was raised on a Three Forks, MT, farm, where she rode horses, and operated trucks and tractors as a young teenager. Fern and her sister Bonnie were well known in the area for their piano recitals of hymns, spirituals, and classics, and Fern was a straight A student from elementary through high school. Fern possessed a pioneering spirit and enrolled at Stanford University in 1957, and in 1967 began her career as a financial services executive with Pollock Financial Group, where she passionately collaborated for more than 40 years. Fern married Tony Landphere in 1960 and had four children. After Tony's passing in 1973, Fern married Will Bailey, who brought three more children to the family, and Fern and Will added another child in 1975. With eight children, most of whom were heavily active in a multitude of sports, Fern was the director of several athletic boards at the Little League, Pop Warner, Babe Ruth, and high school levels, while her husband Will coached many teams, and it was not uncommon for Fern to attend 3 or 4 different athletic contests in a day. Family and her career (and "work family") were the absolute loves of Fern's life. Aside from her very large and extensive family, including numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles, Fern loved to entertain and invite people into her home, as well as gardening, playing piano and singing, jigsaw and crossword puzzles, projects of most any kind, and helping those in need. An exceptionally devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Fern was adored by her family and all those within her orbit. Surviving Fern are her husband, Will Bailey; children and their spouses, Laura (Marty) Ramirez, Ken (Rachel) Landphere, Jim (Cleo) Bailey, Mike (Kristi) Landphere, Jeff (Dina) Bailey, Ed (Corinne) Landphere and Matt Bailey; sister, Bonnie; step-brothers, Marvin and Jack; thirteen grandchildren (four spouses); three great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Susan; and son-in-law, Tim. Fern was predeceased by parents, Charles and Martha (and stepfather, Kenneth Lane); ex-husband, Tony; sisters, Linda and Mary; step-brother, Russ; daughter, Amy; and grandsons, Adam and Mikey. A celebration of Fern's life will be held at St. Nicholas Catholic Church (473 Lincoln Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94022) on October 18.