Dorothy 'Darby' Bailey

Darby (Dorothy) Jessie Wood Bailey Darby Bailey, 83, of Bozeman passed away on June 9th, 2009, at her home in Bozeman. Darby was born on February 28, 1926 in Philadelphia, PA to Walter W. Wood and Ethel Fisk Wood. She attended grade school in Mount Vernon, NY and moved to Syracuse, NY in 1940 to attend Central High School, graduating in 1943. Darby went on to the Syracuse University and graduated in 1947 with a Bachelor Degree in Business. While at university, Darby was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority. Following university, Darby traveled via train to Yellowstone Park where she worked for two seasons and met the love of her life, Bill Bailey from Pony, MT. Darby and Bill were married at the United Methodist church in Bozeman, MT on October 12, 1947. Their first daughter, Karen Lynn was born on October 3, 1949. They resided in Bozeman until Bill was again called up to serve during the Korean War; they moved to California where their daughter Sandra Jo was born on May 24, 1954 and the family moved back to Bozeman in 1957. Their son Bryan Wood was born Dec. 2, 1959 and daughter Libby Wood followed on March 25, 1961. Darby was active in Girl Scouts, a member and volunteer at the Museum of the Rockies, a member of the Three Rivers Chapter of Lewis and Clark Heritage Foundation and the Montana Ghost Town Preservation Society. Darby retired from the First National Bank as a Jr. Vice President in 1979. She was an avid reader, and enjoyed doing cross word puzzles, playing cards and playing with her grandchildren. She and Bill travelled after they retired and remodelled Bill#8217;s family home in Pony, where they spent their summers. Darby was preceded in death by her infant son Bryan (1959), husband Bill Bailey (1993) and sister Jane Wood Miny (2006). Darby is survived by her daughters Karen Bailey-Romanko (Ron), Sandy Bailey and Libby Stanhope (Keevin) and grandchildren Amberly (27) and Bret Bailey-Romanko (24), Coleman (27) and Trent Mack (25), Lena Bailey (19), and Taylor (25), Jordon (23) and Sydney Stanhope (19). Darby will be remembered in a Memorial Service June 13 at 10:00 a.m. at Aspen Point, 1201 Highland Blvd, Bozeman; Internment of ashes will be at 2:00 p.m. at the Cemetery in Pony, MT. Memorial donations may be made to: the Museum of the Rockies or the Homecoming Club of Pony. Darby#8217;s family would like to thank the staff of Aspen Point and Birchwood for their friendship and care of Darby.