Anita Jane Bailey

Anita was born in Fillmore, on September 19, 1929 to James Gillespie Blaine (J.B.) Elkins and Mary Jane Evans Elkins. Anita grew up in Fillmore on the Elkins Ranch and attended Bardsdale Elementary and Fillmore High School graduating in 1947. Anita attended Woodbury University studying Business and was a member of Beta Sigma Phi.

On September 3, 1951 Anita married Edmund (Ted) Bailey, in the First Presbyterian Church in Fillmore and they spent almost 62 years of marriage before Ted passed away in 2013.

Anita and Ted spent 15 years in Santa Maria where their children Mary Ellen and Rob were born before relocating to Valencia where the Bailey’s lived for the next 54 years.

Anita worked for Bank of America as well as Elkins Ranch Company, where she served as a Director and Officer for many years, as well as homemaker, and her most honored and proudest titles were Mom, Grammy and G-G (Grammy-Great) to her 2 children, 5 grandchildren and 4 great-grands. Family was so important to Anita and she loved hosting sleepovers with all 5 grandkids together where she passed on the love of games, stories and family values and traditions. She was so very proud of each and every one of them and their many accomplishments.

Anita enjoyed many wonderful historical trips around the U.S., Canada and Europe. One of her favorites was following the entire Oregon Trail from Missouri to Oregon and the trail of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as Boston and the entire east coast.

She loved to walk, read, do the daily crossword puzzle and was a Jeopardy whiz!

Anita was preceded in death by her parents Blaine and Mary Jane Elkins, her sisters Margaret (Lloyd) Balden, Dorothy (Edgar) James, brothers Richard (Edith) Elkins and James (Joan) Elkins, as well as her son Rob Bailey.

Anita is survived by her daughter Mary Ellen Bailey Gravel, daughter-in-law Wendy Bailey, brother Lloyd (Barbara) Elkins, grandchildren Kelly (Adam) Bailey, Patrick (Brooke) Bailey and Garrett Bailey, Desiree (Christian) Stevens, Cameron Gravel and great grandchildren Jackson and Colter Bailey, and Charlotte and Luke Stevens, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.