Jill Marie Bailey Chenet

Jill Marie Bailey Chenet, of Salem, and her unborn baby girl, Olive, passed away Wednesday July 25, 2012, in Buxton, N.C., as a result of a drowning incident near the Outer Banks, where she and her loving husband, Matt Chenet, were on vacation. They were on a two-week peaceful getaway together, celebrating life and each other as she was five months pregnant and expecting their first baby in November. Jill, known to many as "Tootie", was a 2003 graduate of Washington and Lee University, and earned her Master's degree from University of Virginia as a Reading Specialist. Her passion was teaching children, as she was a 2nd grade teacher to hearing impaired students at the River School in Washington, D.C. Jill dedicated her career to her students, bringing them to their fullest potential with joy and a sense of wonder that was palpable in her classroom daily. Her commitment and her gifts as a teacher reflect a profound understanding of the children she loved. Those who knew her were touched in many ways. She was the brightest of lights. A gentle, patient, kind soul, who performed numerous, selfless acts of goodness on an everyday basis. Her smile was brilliant, her laughter contagious. She cherished her daily morning call to her mom and dad just to check in, tutoring students after work, and taking her nieces and nephews out for fun. Her acts were always selfless and done with pure love.
Her family and friends are overcome with sadness that her time here was cut so short, considering how many people she touched in her 31 years. It would have been Jill's heartfelt desire to instead utilize each other as vehicles of peace and perpetuate the goodness that this world has to offer. The goodness that she so epitomized. Whether it is a morning ritual of thankfulness… a letter to someone you love… a gesture of kindness at the grocery store… a quick call to a friend/family member… a helping hand to a child… a gentle smile to a stranger… She did this everyday. And so shall we. Now we choose to celebrate and live with love in our hearts. And to pass it on. Because that's what Tootie would do.
Celebrating life with her large, close-knit, extended family and network of friends was her primary source of joy in her life. She is survived by her husband of four years, Matthew Chenet; her parents, Jack and Barbara Bailey; in-laws, Jim and Ginny Chenet, of Chapel Hill; her sister, Julie Hamilton and brother-in-law, Bob Hamilton; her brother, Jason Bailey and sister-in-law, Brandi Bailey, all of Salem. She is also survi ved by her grandparents, Jack Bailey Sr. (deceased) and Elizabeth Bailey, of Salem, and Talmage and Marguerite Claytor, of Buena Vista; her aunts and uncles, Glenn and Joanne Thornhill, of Salem, Bill and Kate Bailey, of Richmond, Chuck and Carol Koch, of Lexington, Steve and Maryanne Purves, of Ocala, Fla., Mike and Susan Bailey, of Dallas, Texas, TL and Doris Claytor, of Richmond, Harold Plott and Pam Plott (deceased).
A Celebration of her life will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 30, 2012, at Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church in Roanoke. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 29, 2012, at Lotz Funeral Home, Salem. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to The River School, www.RiverSchool.net. Online condolences may be made at by visiting www.lotzfuneralhome.com.