Dorothy K. Bailey, longtime resident of Kingtown Alabama, began her celestial journey on September 19, 2024. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt and of the Methodist faith. She was born in 1930, the fourth of Will and Rutha Killen’s five children. She is the last of her generation and was also preceded in death by her infant granddaughter Sarah Thorn.
Raised in Elgin Crossroads during the Great Depression, she was a hard worker from an early age. She grew up helping out in the family general store, tending the cows and chickens, and assisting her mother growing epic food and flower gardens.
Dorothy met Jesse Bailey, the love of her life, in Crossroads when they were just kids. They married in 1948 and lived happily ever after for 44 years until his untimely death in 1993. A wonderful homemaker her entire lift, they raised four lucky kids who also learned their parents’ hard work ethics. She grew a huge garden every year while her kids were growing up and spent countless hours preserving homegrown fresh food and preparing great meals for anyone lucky enough to be invited to her table.
Dorothy continued her love of gardening with lawn and flower garden work until just a few weeks ago. Neighbors were amazed to see such an elderly woman still riding a lawn mower and stirring up a dust and her kids just had to assure everyone that she was doing what she loved and wanted to do. She was tinkering with some plant in the yard recently when she fell and fractured her hip and although help arrived within minutes, she just wasn’t able to snap back from all the trauma around that injury.
Dorothy was an expert seamstress and loved sewing clothes for her two boys when they were small and clothes for her two girls until they were grown and on their own. The girls never had to worry about someone else wearing the same outfit, as theirs were almost always custom-made with love and attention to detail. Husband Jesse always looked like he just stepped off a catalog page because she always made sure his dressy work clothes were laundered and pressed to the max.
Quilting was another lifelong passion for her and she made many beautiful, prize-winning, hand-pieced and hand-quilted heirlooms for family members. In later years when her hands weren’t as cooperative, she machine-pieced lovely works of art for the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The family gathered in April to celebrate her 94th birthday and it was a joyous occasion with plenty of love, laughter, and great food. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Her family is especially appreciative of the help of her friend and caregiver Connie Moore.
Dorothy is survived by her eldest son Gailand of Kingtown, his daughter Jessica Emmons and husband Daryl and their 3 boys Caleb, Ethan and Mason. She is survived by second son Wayne of Kingtown, and his 2 boys and their families, including son Jonas and wife Allison and their boys Zeke and Nate, and son Jason and wife Amber and their children Olivia, Scarlett, Reagan, and Liam. She is survived by her eldest daughter Karen Byrd and husband John of Kailua Kona Hawai’i and John’s son Barry. She is survived by her youngest daughter Susan Thorn and husband Stan of Splunge Mississippi and their son Seth. She was loved and will be mourned by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family.
Pall bearers will be Stan and Seth Thorn, Jonas and Jason Bailey, Daryl and Caleb Emmons. A celebration of her long and blessed life will be held at Elkins East on Sunday, September 22, 2024. Visitation will be from 12:30pm-2:30pm with service at 2:30pm. Burial will follow at Springfield Cemetery.
