Lydia Elizabeth Bailey, 82, of New Harbor, passed away Nov. 12 at St. Andrews Hospital in Boothbay Harbor.
She was born April 17, 1926 in New Harbor, the daughter of Fred and Annie Tibbetts Brackett. She attended Bristol schools and was a graduate of Bristol High School, Class of 1944.
She worked at the local fish factory before going to work at Tubular Rivets in Western Massachusetts. On Sept. 21, 1946, she married Roderick Bailey and they spent a year in Florida working at Breakers in West Palm Beach before returning to Maine for a brief time. They relocated to Schenectady, N.Y. and Roderick was employed at the General Electric Plant.
They moved back to Maine where she has resided until her death.
Lydia enjoyed crafting and had her own craft shop, Lydia’s Gifts. She enjoyed gardening and grew cultivated raspberries which were the biggest ones anyone had ever seen. She was known locally as the “raspberry lady”. She loved feeding birds and had many pet chipmunks who she had eating out of her hand.
For the last 10 years her passion was genealogy.
She was predeceased by her husband, Roderick.
Survivors include her sons, Gordon Bailey and wife Cindy of Bristol, and Arthur Bailey and wife Cheryl of New Harbor; grandchildren, Alisha Robbins and husband Jeff of Bristol, Nichole Graff and husband Ed of Dennis, Mass., Justin Bailey and wife Jennifer of Damariscotta, Amber Hutchinson and husband Keith of Lake Charles, La., Tracy Manning and husband Jeremiah of New Harbor, Casey Chadwick and wife Jessica of New Harbor, and Aaron Bailey of Edgecomb; and great-grandchildren, Alexis Bailey of Damariscotta, Zachary Robbins of Bristol, Allison and Jillian Chadwick of New Harbor, Taylor Mae Hutchinson of Lake Charles, La., Stephen Graff of Dennis, Mass., and Gabriel and Delilah Manning of New Harbor.
Visiting hours 6-8 p.m., Sat., Nov. 15 at Hall Funeral Home, 949 Main St., Waldoboro. Graveside services will be private.
Arrangements are entrusted to Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Waldoboro.
