Mary Eleanor Bailey's Obituary
Business and Community leader Mary Eleanor Bailey (Eleanor) died on December 5. Born in Spokane, Washington on December 9, 1934 to Mary and John Robertson, Eleanor grew up with her brother Shelley on a 4,000 acre cattle and wheat ranch. She was educated at Washington State University where she earned a BS degree, graduating Phi Beta Kappa.
A pioneer and trail blazer in business, Eleanor was one of two women in the United States who passed the CPA exam in 1957. She was one of the very first female executives in her field nationwide. She was a partner at Oto, Bailey, Fukumoto and Mishima.
Eleanor served on the Board of Directors of Home Federal Savings and Loan of San Francisco from 1982-1996 under the leadership of Stanley Bailey, President, CEO and Chairman of the Board, her former husband and lifelong friend. Her professional affiliations included American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, both Washington/California State Society of Certified Public Accountants and National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts.
Active in the San Francisco Bay area, Eleanor was the first female member of the Athenian Nile Club and member of The Woman’s Athletic Club in Oakland. A philanthropist through many charitable works, she most recently served on the Board of Directors of Girls Inc. of Alameda County. Eleanor was a role model and mentor to countless numbers of young women, and men, in both the workplace and the community where she lived.
In addition, she was a member of the Sequoyah Country Club where she regularly played golf, her favorite sport. Her travels abroad reflected her lifetime study of history, love of music and interest in people the world over.
Devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Eleanor is survived by sons William and David Bailey (Ron); daughter Deborah Lopez (Joe); grandchildren Joseph Lopez III and Elizabeth Lopez (James) and 3 great grandchildren. Survivors also include her brother Shelley Robertson (Jenny).
Services will be held at Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave, Oakland 94611 on Tuesday December 16, 2014 at 2pm. The family requests donations in lieu of flowers be made to Girls, Inc. of Alameda County, 510 16th Street, Oakland, CA 94612. Attn: Development Department.
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