Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Columbus– Elaine Byassee Bailey, age 83, died August 8, 2023, at Tryon Estates in Columbus where she had lived for the past six years.

She had experienced several medical problems of late, but her death was the result of advanced, progressive dementia.

Elaine was born September 9, 1939, in Little Rock Arkansas the first child of Guy and Edith Byassee.  She spent most of her youth in Louisville, Kentucky where she attended Central High School.  She earned a BA degree in Sociology from Wake Forest University and an MA degree in History from East Carolina University.  Elaine was active in civic organizations, but the education of children was where her star shone most brightly.  She taught from kindergarten to fourth grade in Nashville, Tennessee, Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and San Antonio, Texas.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Donald Bailey, two brothers, Guy William Byassee, and James Byassee, sister-in-law Jean Byassee, two sons, Matthew Bailey, and Guy David Bailey, two grandchildren, Nicholas Bailey, and Gwendolyn Bailey, a daughter-in-law Karin Cotter, and a bonus granddaughter, Vivian Cotter.

A private service will be held at Tryon Estates.

Condolences to the family can be made to www.sandersfuneralandcremation.com

Sanders Funeral Home
Columbus, NC.