Jean Louise McHenry Bailey Bailey

September 11, 1919 - November 22, 2017

Jean Louise McHenry Bailey ("Mickey") lived an eventful and rewarding life of 98 years. Born in Oakland, California in 1919 to Arthur and Ruby McLellan McHenry, Jean attended Piedmont High School and UC Berkeley where she joined Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and was elected vice president of her senior class, graduating in 1940. The following year, at Boston's Simmons College, she studied retail marketing. Returning to the West Coast aboard the SS President Jackson, she met her future husband, John Sherman Bailey, the Jackson's Third Mate and bearer of a Naval Reserve commission.

Called to active duty following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, husband John sailed to and from the West Coast where his relationship with Jean matured into marriage - July 1943 - and produced the first of five children, John Gregory. During the war years, Jean worked as personnel director at Livingston's department store in San Francisco; shortly after the war, she and her growing family - now four with the addition of daughter Susan - moved to Carpinteria where husband John built their first home, on lemon acreage. Two more children, Robert and William, soon followed.

John was again called to active naval service at the start of the Korean War, leaving Jean with their four children, two orchid hot houses and a mature lemon orchard. If she wasn't busy enough, Jean was elected president of Santa Barbara's Junior League for the period 1950-52.

Jean and children, following John's continuing Navy career, moved to Orinda in the Bay Area, where fifth child Richard was born, then moved to Spokane, Washington, back to the Bay Area, to Sunset Beach in southern California, to Portland, Oregon and the Bay Area one last time. Upon John's retirement, the couple returned to Carpinteria and established "Anchorage" on avocado acreage where John built a Cliff May-design home.

With their ranch home built, Jean and John enjoyed a number of years traveling the world, with Februarys set aside for visits to Maui. A 50th wedding anniversary took them to King's Beach, Tahoe, site of their honeymoon. Following John's death in 1994, Jean moved to Linden Meadow, staying in the Carpinteria she'd come to love. More years of travel followed, along with volunteer work - Red Cross and CAMA -- and always, always Bridge, whether it was games sponsored by Santa Barbara's Little Town Club or twelvesomes fielded in the back room of the local iHop. A Bridge game at home began the month that was to be her last.

Jean was raised with a refinement she endeavored to pass on to her children. She was ever adaptive, excelling at making the best of circumstances. With the support of family and the care of her eldest son, she was able to live at home till her passing on the 22nd of November 2017. She is survived by her five children, nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, niece Nancy McHenry Dirks and nephews Jim and Dave Turner.

A graveside memorial service will be held for immediate family in the new year. Remembrances may be directed to Visiting Nurses and Hospice of Santa Barbara or Carpinteria Valley Museum of History.