Ruth Onita Bailey Crary

 Born in Alto, New Mexico on July 2, 1921 to 

James Simpson Bailey and Mary Ann Viola Jane Jones Bailey, lost her battle with pancreatic cancer and passed away at her son Jonathan’s home in Albany, Oregon, in September 17, 2012 at the age of 91.

Ruth was the youngest child of seventeen, 4 boys and 13 girls, two of which died in childhood. Growing up during the Great Depression the family survived by farming and picking cotton. The family moved to El Monte, California in her teens, where she graduated from high School at Holiness Evangelistic Institute. 

She worked from 1942-45, ironing shirts, in Laguna Beach, Ca. She was the fastest and best presser, an accomplishment of which she was quite proud.

In 1945 she attended Northwest Nazarene College for one year, and remained lifelong friends with many of the students she met there. In 1946 she attended Pilgrim Evangelistic Institute in Pasadena, California where she met and married A. Donald Crary, one of her professors. 

Ruth and A. Donald “Don” Crary were married, January 20, 1946 in El Monte, California. Don worked as a public school teacher, and Nazarene pastor to small congregations. Ruth often served as a Sunday school teacher, director and seamstress for church plays, a bus driver, janitor and anywhere else as needed. They served at churches in Rosholt, SD, Mason, Carrico Springs, Crystal City, and Edcouch, TX. In 1964 Ruth and Don moved to Ivanhoe and later to Goshen, Ca. where they served in various churches in Tulare County including Pixley United Brethren. The Church of the Nazarene in Exeter Ca. took most of their time and heart until November 2007 when her beloved Don passed away. Ruth then moved to Albany, OR and lived with her youngest son, Jonathan Crary and his wife, Sharon, until her death.

Ruth loved Jesus Christ and serving Him. She read her Bible daily. Her hobbies included quilting, playing games, and gardening, growing her own tomatoes, onions and other vegetables. She was well known in her Goshen neighborhood for organizing games for the children after school. Many times the neighborhood children would knock on her door and ask her husband, “Can Ruth come out and play?” While living in Albany, she gathered twice monthly tto play games with the “Laughing Ladies of Grace Point Nazarene, She also worked out at the local YMCA three days a week.

Ruth is survived by her two sons: Philip Crary and his wife Susan of Visalia, Ca., and Jonathan Crary and his wife Sharon of Albany, Oregon. Ruth had five grandchildren from Philip and Susan: Jedediah Crary of Visalia; Sarah Crary of Las Vegas, Nevada; Daniel Crary and his wife, Rebekah of Nampa, Idaho; Rebekah Gasperino and her husband, Scott of Albany, Oregon; and Anna Crary of Visalia. Ruth had two grandchildren from Jonathan and Susan: Heather Smith and her husband, Michael, of Hillsboro, Oregon; Preston and his wife, Faith, attending college in Azusa, California. Two great-grand-daughters are: (Sarah’s) Lillian Parker of LasVegas and Heather & Mike’s Savannah Smith of Hillsboro, Oregon. 

Ruth is survived by two sisters: Virginia Bailey, longtime resident of ElMonte, Ca., now 98 years-old residing in Apple Valley, Ca.; 

and (my mother) Mary Bailey Stoops, longtime resident of Visalia, now 92 years old residing in  Clovis, California. 

Ruth is preceded in death by her father, James Bailey aged 90 years, her mother, Mary Jones Bailey who lived 93 years; 

her four brothers: 

Henry Cardine Bailey married Alma Bird had Charles and Dora, divorced, then married Carrie Anola Wallace and had Darlene and aged 78 years; 

Aubrey Otis Bailey Married Annie Smart Hamilton and aged 87 years; 

Oscar Silvester Bailey married Leola May Turner, had eight children - Oscar, Frances, Rose Anita, J.D., Frank, Joanna, Gladys (stillborn) and Ruth who keeps up with the family geneology. Oscar aged 92 years, 

Oliver David Bailey who lived only six months. 

Ruth is preceded in death by ten of her sisters: 

 Lillie Magnolia Bailey Freeman married Roy Freeman and had five - James, Mary, Alice, Wanda (stillborn), Evelyn. Lillie lived 101 years. 

 Lillie’s stillborn twin girl; 

 Gertie Lee Bailey who lived only 3 months; 

 Thelma Ione Bailey Howell married David Howell had three children - Jeannine, and twins Bryan & Bernarr. Thelma lived 26 years; 

Malissa Emma Bailey Ketchum Jenkins married Charles Arthur Ketchum and had daughter, Katherine then divorced, Married Odell Henry Jenkins Lawrence and had Lawrence & Lavenua. Malissa lived 95 years.

Isabel Irene Bailey married Harold Theodore Gadbury and had five children: Pearl, Herbert, Helen, Hazel, James and Alvin. Isabel lived 61 years for the most part in Goshen, California.

Lequanah Qinnile Bailey married Benjamin William Weise in Roswell, New Mexico.  She and Ben raised Thelma’s children. Lequanah died in her home in Carlsbad, NM at age 89 years.

Gladys Madge Bailey married Samuel August Weise in Roswell, NM. Their children are: Marvin, Floyd, Amelia and Doris. 

Naomi Catherine Bailey married Charlie Adams in Capitan, NM. They had Ira Lee, Virginia Ann and twins Valter & Flora.

Fama Lucille Bailey married Arnold Carl Fred Seeger in Visalia, Calif. They had Helen & Don. Fama lived 82 years.