Ward Leslie Bailey was born in Frontier County near Orafino to Charles H. and Daisey Belle Kester Bailey August 31, 1899. He died in the hospital at Gothenburg Jan. 9, 1986 at the age of 87.

May 22, 1920 he married Zula L. Allen and together they farmed where he was born until 1939 when they moved to Curtis.

One child was born to this marriage.

Since moving to Curtis, Bailey has operated a small stock farm at the northwest edge of town where he specialized in sheep and hogs. He also worked at the Coop Creamery, ran a dray service, worked at the Curtis slaughter plant and did custom butchering. In 1974 he retired and moved to the present home on Pope Avenue.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Zula, in 1970 and by one sister, Florence Mitchell of Eustis. In 1972 he married Pearl Klenk, who died in 1983. He then married Jessie Stull, who survives.

Other survivors are his daughter, Madeline Lucas of Bakersfield, Calif.; a sister Marvel Berry of Bakersfield; three grandchildren; five step- grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; many step-great-grandchildren; one nephew, Gary Mitchell of Ralston; and a host of friends and acquaintances.

Services were Monday afternoon in the Curtis United Methodist Church. Rev. Larry Perkins from the Curtis Yoked Parish and Rev. Dean Herman from the Curtis Nazarene Church officiated.

Wetzels of Curtis was in charge of arrangements.

Hi-Line Enterprise, Thursday, January 16, 1986