JoAnne Woodman Bailey

JoAnne Woodman Bailey

Lifelong Denver resident JoAnne Woodman Bailey passed away on August 16, 2016 at age 86.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, 29 August 2016 at Unity Spiritual Center, 3021 S. University Blvd. at 1:00 p.m.. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Denver Scholarship Foundation (www.denverscholarship.org) or Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting (www.rmpbs.org) .
JoAnne was born October 20, 1929 in Denver, Colorado, the daughter of Ralph and Mildred Woodman. She graduated from South High School. She attended Colorado State College of Education (now the University of Northern Colorado) for a time, leaving her studies early in her marriage to support her husband’s education. She later returned to the University of Northern Colorado, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Education in the midst of raising her three somewhat rambunctious children. Quite the feat by anyone’s reckoning.
She married James Baker Bailey, her lifelong friend and partner, on August 27, 1949 in Denver. Jim died in 2008, and JoAnne maintained the 53 year family home until her death.
JoAnne raised her three children, Steven, Janis and James II; nurturing them, her 11 grandchildren and her eight great grandchildren. She was a sustaining root of a family imbued with love, generosity and integrity. Future generations of her family will be blessed by and grateful for the myriad legacies of her loving kindnesses.
JoAnne was an avid reader. The books in her home rival the collection of the white cottage that housed the Eugene Field Library on the edge of Washington Park, where she regularly took her young children. She was a literary and spiritual explorer, and took great pleasure in the gracious community of her Wednesday morning Circle of fellow explorers at Unity Spiritual Center.
JoAnne dedicated her professional life to the education of elementary school children, and her personal life to her family. She was a woman without guile or pretense. In her home, in her eyes and in her affectionate hugs, every member of her family found respite in times of anxiety and affirmation of their unique belovedness. She lived her life with humility, kindness, love, generosity, integrity, courage and strength. All who knew her will always know her, and better embrace, by dint of her presence, that they are worthy to be loved.