Lucile Pepper Bailey

Lucile with one L Pepper Bailey, 102, died at Richland Rehabilitation Center on November 29, 2009. Lucile, the youngest of four girls, was born at home on August 23, 1907, in Salem, West Virginia. She graduated high school at the age of 16 and, two years later, obtained a Standard Normal Certificate and began teaching junior high school. She often remarked that some of her students were friends she had known and played with for years. During the next two years she taught at the junior high school and also took classes at Salem College, finishing her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English and minors in French and Social Studies. Following three years of teaching in Williamson, West Virginia, she attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she took classes in library science, while working in the library at the Dept. of Agriculture.

On April 2, 1937, Lucile married Miles Bailey and moved to a small town outside Charleston, W.Va., where Miles worked for DuPont. John, their first child, was born in 1943. While staying home to raise John, Lucile, ever the teacher, taught neighborhood women to knit sweaters for the soldiers fighting in Europe. The family moved to Richland in 1944, where the twins, Bill and Mary, were born two years later. Lucile and Miles were among the first members of Central United Protestant Church, joining shortly after they arrived in Richland. Lucile returned to teaching in 1954, taking a teaching position first at John Ball, then at Lewis and Clark, and finally at Spaulding Elementary School, where she was the librarian until her retirement in 1970.

During her career, Lucile taught hundreds of children the joy of reading and a love of learning, both of which she enjoyed her entire life. She was a born teacher, so when the Cole girls wanted to learn to quilt, Lucile gladly taught them how. Lucile loved chocolate and rarely declined dessert. She was always ready to play a game of Trivial Pursuit, Perquacky or Cribbage. She read her newspaper from back to front, starting her morning with the crossword puzzle and the jumble. Lucile was a gentle woman who embraced life, loved her family and had an insatiable curiosity about the world around her.

Lucile is survived by her children: John Georga, Bill Jackie and Mary, grandchildren: Judy, Katy, Miles and John Pepper, great-grandchildren: Adler, Auden, Amory and Logan, nieces: Anne, Jean and Betty, nephew: Charles, as well as many other extended family members and friends.

The family would like to give a special "Thank you" to the staff at Richland Rehabilitation Center and Eagle Assisted Living for their care and understanding.

A memorial service celebrating Lucile's life will be held in the Chapel at Central United Protestant Church, 1124 Stevens Drive, Richland, WA, on Friday, December 4, 2009, at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions in Lucile's name be given to Volunteer Chore Services 2110 W. Henry, Pasco, WA 99301 or Knights of Columbus Hospital Equipment Program P.O. Box 1754, Richland, WA 99352. To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.einansfuneralhome.com.