AMHERST, Leeta (Linn) Bailey passed away on July 29, 2014 at her home.  Leeta was born on June 6, 1935, in Newport, Oregon, the only child of Carl and Alice (Head) Linn.  The family lived throughout Oregon, including Newport, Arlington, and The Dalles, but she always reminisced about Ione.  She was a graduate of the University of Oregon, and taught elementary school alongside her mother.

Leeta married Duane W. Bailey on April 11, 1959.  Soon after, they moved to New Haven, Conn., and then, in 1963, to Amherst, where they raised a family, several generations of English Bulldogs, and honey bees.  Leeta taught for a short while at the Smith College Day School.  She then worked, for 21 years, at the Amherst College Library, primarily as a Reference Librarian and head of Circulation. She received her Master’s in Library Information Science from the University of Texas School of Information in 1986.

Leeta was an avid reader.  She had an artistic eye, enjoying knitting, carving, and painting.  She raised orchids and collected antique glass.  She was a passionate fan of the Red Sox, UConn’s Lady Huskies Basketball, and coffee.

She is survived by her cousin Margaret “Peggy” Thompson, of Port Angeles, WA; her three children, Duane A. Bailey of Williamstown, Gregory K. Bailey, of Billerica, and Mark W. Bailey, of Clinton, NY; and her five grandchildren, Megan E. Bailey, of Belchertown, Katelin A. Bailey, of Seattle, WA, Duane R. Bailey, of Philadelphia, PA, and Jessica C. Bailey and Margaret E. Bailey of Clinton, NY.

Friends and family are invited to gather at the family home at 115 Van Meter Drive from 3 to 5pm on August 16.  Funeral arrangements were by Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst, MA.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Amherst Survival Center, P.O. Box 9629, North Amherst MA 01059-9629. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.