Cecelia L. Bailey

Cecelia Luvinia Bailey, daughter of the late Preston Phillips and the late Bertha Bundie Phillips, was born on Tuesday, May 31, 1921, in Accomack County, Virginia. She went home to be with Our Lord on Monday, April 18, 2005.Cecelia was the eldest of 15 children. Being the first born, her father named her Cecil, even though she was a girl. She later changed her name to Cecelia. Learning about responsibility early on, she had to stop attending school and began working at age 9 to help support her family. She taught herself how to read by reading the daily newspaper. She moved to Brooklyn, New York at the age of 16, where there were better opportunities. She married the late Lonnie L. Bailey, Sr. From this union, two children were born, the late Lonnie, Jr., and the late Sheila Bailey Jordan. She moved back to Baltimore to raise their family.Cecelia was fondly known as “Aunt Ceise”. “Mama”, “Granny”, and “Mrs. Bailey”. Known for always helping others in their time of need regardless of their circumstances, she opened her heart and home to many. In 1966, she received two little girls to raise as her own, Gloria and Allison Williams. Their sister Wanda came later to live with them. She also opened her home to other foster children and family members. Cecelia accepted Christ as her Savior early on in life. She later joined the Providence Inspirational Baptist Church in Baltimore. She made sure that everyone got up to attend church. It did not matter which one you attended, but you had to go. You could find her on some Sundays after church, frying chicken and cleaning collard greens while praising the Lord and listening to gospel music. Her house was the gathering place for the family. She loved to cook, laugh and dance. She was unbiased and told it like she saw it. There are many things that could be said about her life, but the most important thing is that she loved the Lord and her family and friends.She has completed the journey that we are still taking and leaved to celebrate her memory: one sister, Glenda McClam; one brother, Garrett Phillips; three sisters-in-law, Inez, Jackie and Lorraine Phillips; one son-in-law, Eric Jordan; three foster daughters, Gloria, Allison, and Wanda Williams; two grandchildren, Keinya Sullivan and LaTanya Simmons; Joseph Simmons, Kenneth and Kelly Goodman, Brittany Nelson; four great-grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.

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Cecelia L. Bailey

May 31, 1921 - April 18, 2005