Obituary: Christie Mae Bailey, NAU graduate student

Christie Mae Bailey, a graduate student taking courses in the College of Education, died Friday, Dec. 9, 2011, in Safford, Ariz. She was 42.

Ms. Bailey was born Oct. 20, 1969, in Bellevue, Wash., to Wes and Ardella Shafer Bailey. She graduated with honors from Prosser High School in Prosser, Wash. Ms. Bailey earned a bachelor’s degree in Japanese and international relations from Brigham Young University then completed a mission in Japan for her church. She earned a second bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Ms. Bailey’s first job in education was on the Apache Indian reservation in White River, Ariz., where she taught second grade. She then accepted a position teaching kindergarten in Ft. Thomas, Ariz,. and relocated to nearby Safford.

Ms. Bailey was an avid reader and loved music, history and the outdoors. She followed college football and basketball and had a great sense of humor.

Ms. Bailey is survived by her parents, Wes and Ardella Shafer Bailey of Newport, Wash.; brothers Kerry (Laura) Bailey of North Bend, Wash., Karl (Kristy) Bailey of Dallas, and Kurt (Karen) Bailey of Lewiston, Idaho; sister Katrina (Trent) Listello of Suffolk, England; sixteen nieces and seventeen nephews; aunts Lyla (Charles) Bailey Hoisington of Usk, Wash., Milly (James) Brewer of Riverton, Wyo., and Edith (Clifford) Brewer of Mountain View, Wyo.; uncles Loren (Mary) Shafer and Eugene (Billie) Bailey; and numerous cousins.

Services were held last month in Priest River, Idaho, and Newport, Wash. Family and friends are invited to view and sign the online guest book.