Betty Jane Bailey

Betty Jane Bailey went to be with her Lord Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the age of 90. For the last 25 years, she had been a resident of Des Moines, Iowa, relocating here after being widowed to be close to family.

Betty was born at home to Arthur and Mary (Christie) Kendrick on July 20, 1935, near Haynesville, Louisiana. The youngest of four children, she enjoyed a close-knit home life that was centered around loving God and one another. Betty was involved in 4-H and received awards for sewing projects when she was ten. At the age of twelve, Betty’s family moved to the town of Homer, Louisiana, to a house with electricity and running water, built by her father. Betty was a 1956 graduate of Homer High School and loved the little town of Homer, which she always considered home.

Betty met her husband Bedford Ray Bailey, Jr. in the spring of 1957 at Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, Tennessee. She liked Ray enough to transfer with him the next semester to Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas. They were married February 15, 1958, in Homer and celebrated 42 years of marriage before Ray’s death in 2000. Together they lived in seven states, raising their two sons, Dan and David mostly in Upstate New York. In 1990, Ray and Betty moved to Lincoln, Illinois and worked with the Lincoln Church of Christ for ten years. They both fell in love with this little town, planning to retire in Lincoln.

Betty was a gifted artist and designer, using those talents in making a warm home for her family and keeping growing boys in well-made clothes, enjoying being a stay-at-home mom. When Dan left for college and David was in high school, she became interested in making dolls, beginning with cloth dolls and eventually sculpting and creating original porcelain dolls. Ten years later, she formed Lincoln Mold Company, Inc., where she focused on sculpting original porcelain dolls, creating molds to sell to dollmakers, and designing the clothing patterns to outfit them. Since Betty was self-taught in dollmaking through books and a good bit of trial and error, her creations were unique and were sought after by dollmakers across the nation.

Most important to Betty was following God and honoring him with her life. She served alongside her husband in many congregations and raised her sons to honor God. After moving to Des Moines, she became involved at Grandview Church of Christ and in 2013 was instrumental in getting an intergenerational service project between the seniors and the youth group off the ground: making fleece blankets for local children in need. This ministry continues to this day, now benefiting a nearby shelter for women and children.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Bailey; parents, Arthur and Mary Kendrick; brothers, Thomas and Kenneth Kendrick; sister, Marion Huntoon; one grandchild; and three great-grandchildren, James Bailey, Holly Furlong, and Mica Bailey, who were welcomed into heaven before her.

Remaining to cherish her memory are her sons, Dan (Donna) Bailey of Des Moines, IA and David (Jennifer) Bailey of Destin, FL; grandsons, Tim (Dora) Bailey of Paron, AR, Val (Audrey) Bailey of Pea Ridge, AR, and Adam (Hailee) Bailey of Berryville, AR; granddaughter, Amy (Bradley) Furlong of Plano, TX; eleven great-grandchildren: Abby, Annie, Caleb and Benny Bailey, Alaina and Emerson Bailey, Joseph, Naomi and Grace Bailey, Lydia Furlong and due in May, Boaz Ray Furlong; two sisters-in-law, Sue Kendrick of Minden, LA and Virginia Verzi of Wheaton, MD; and cherished nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Grandview Church of Christ, 2736 Hubbell Avenue, Des Moines, with visitation beginning one hour prior. For those unable to attend the service in person, it will be livestreamed though the church’s YouTube channel: click here. All are invited to stay for a luncheon immediately following the service. Betty will be laid to rest next to her husband, Ray at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, February 9, 2026, in New Union Cemetery, Lincoln, Illinois.

Special thanks to the amazing staff of Karen Acres Health Care Center in Urbandale, Iowa for the loving care provided to Betty over the last two and a half years of her life.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Grandview Church of Christ Fleece Blanket Fund, 2736 Hubbell Avenue, Des Moines, IA, 50317 or online at: Grandview Church of Christ/Give

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