Dorothy Virginia (Cope) Bailey

Dorothy Virginia (Cope) Bailey, 94 of Sebring passed away on Saturday, January 23, 2016 at Crandall Medical Center in Sebring.  She was born on May 9, 1921 at Salem, Illinois, daughter of Walter Allen and Nellie (Nisbett) Cope.  After graduating from Salem High School, she did office work for several years. After a personal encounter with Jesus Christ and a call to Christian service, she enrolled at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, where she met Paul C. Bailey, a seminary student; they married on September 8, 1943.  Dorothy served beside him at a student pastorate in Nashville, Indiana, and at the following United Methodist churches in North East Ohio: Irondale, Salineville, East Liverpool, Millersburg, Orrville and Norwalk. After he served as Superintendent of the United Methodist churches in the Youngstown District, his last appointment was at Wadsworth.  They retired in 1983, and moved to Lakeside, where he worked for several years in the church at Vickery.  In 1992 they moved to Copeland Oaks Retirement Community in Sebring where he passed away in 1999.  Mrs. Bailey was a Bible teacher and study leader who served on a variety of church boards and agencies; she served the church at large in a variety of ways.  While living in Sebring she was a member of Christ United Methodist in Alliance, Ohio.

Paul and Dorothy had two children; Bonnie (Don) Cummings of Shawnee, Colorado, and John (Linda) Bailey of Tiffin, Ohio.  There are five grandchildren; Sally (Bret) Foster of Lexington, KY, Katherine (Michael) King of Chicago, Peter (Melanie) Cummings of Chicago, Stephen (Charity) Bailey of Upland, IN and Matthew (Adrianne) Bailey of Strongsville, OH.  There are 13 great grandchildren; Lily Kate and Harrison Foster, Owen, Claire, Eden and Trevor Cummings, David and Sarah King, Bejamin, Grace and Luke Bailey, Nathan and Evan Bailey.  She has two surviving sisters, Mary Crick of Falls Church, VA and Alma Schmitz of Tulsa, OK.

A Private Burial will take place and Dorothy’s body will lie beside her husband’s at the Friends Cemetery in Damascus.  A Memorial Service will be held in Bennett Chapel at Copeland Oaks on a date to be announced.  Memorial contributions can be made in Dorothy’s honor to the Life Care Fund in care of Copeland Oaks, 800 South 15th Street, Sebring, OH 44672.  Friends may send condolences and sign the guest register online at www.grfuneralhome.com.  Arrangements are by Gednetz-Ruzek Funeral Home Sebring, OH (330) 938-2526.

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