Beatrice M. Bailey

NORTH SMITHFIELD - Beatrice M. Bailey, 81, passed away on January 16 surrounded by family in her home in Slatersville.

Bea was born and raised in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, daughter of George "Al" and Stella Morrison. She was a 1957 graduate of Tolman High School. She inherited her appreciation of good music from her father, a bass singer and director of many choral groups.

Bea married Arnold C. Bailey of Slatersville in 1960. They met while working at the Pawtucket Times.

She was a graduate of Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics, where she received the Meyer Tanzer Award.

Bea built her life on her family, and she was loved and adored by the friends and family members who knew here as "Nani". She loved to spend time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. For more than two decades, a highlight of spring was her diabolically planned Easter Egg hunts, where children and adults alike were required to wear costumes and collect eggs with salad tongs or boxing gloves.

Egg hunts and other events were usually supplied by the items she bought through the year and stored in a specially designated closet. That closet was the "go-to warehouse" for all needs. You need a size 2 toddler shirt for a last-minute gift? Top shelf, right. A flashlight for a camping trip? Bottom shelf, left, behind the inflatable sumo wrestler suits.

Bea's cooking talents were worthy of their own television show, and she was known for her abundant Thanksgiving dinners, pistachio cake, pot roast, dynamites and cheese soufflé.

Bea had a devilish sense of humor. Once, asked to introduce herself while she was traveling with a group of dignitaries to a university in Athens, Greece, she identified herself as a helium expansion engineer. She was, at the time, working at a party supply store.

She loved to go on vacation, especially to New Hampshire.

She is survived by her husband; daughter Debbie Bailey Scotto and her husband, Bruce, of Slatersville R.I.; son Michael Bailey and his wife Susan of Bozrah, Connecticut; grandchildren Ashley Palmer and her husband Ryan and their children Violet, Amelia and Benjamin of Chepachet; Patrick Morrissey and his wife Kasey of Chepachet; Samuel Bailey of Bozrah, Conn.; Rachel Bailey Geerens and her husband Sebastien of North Franklin, Conn; and Sara Bailey Cote and her husband Scott and their children Asher and Jacquelyn Bea of Colchester, Conn.

Her funeral will be held Friday, January 21, 2022 at 11:30 AM in Berean Baptist Church, 474 Chapel St., Burrillville or may be viewed live at https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/9333509770 Burial will follow in Slatersville Cemetery, Greene St., North Smithfiaeld. Calling hours will be held Thursday from 4 6 PM, in the Holt Funeral Home, 510 South Main St., Woonsocket. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Bea's memory to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Road S.W., Lilburn, GA 30047 or https://www.lbda.org/donate/

www.holtfunealhome.com