Nancy Sue Bailey

Our mom, Nancy Bailey passed away on Sunday, May 31 at 92 years old. Nancy was born in Fort Collins to Shirley Cram and Tuck Howell. Her mom died when Nancy was only six and she and her twin brothers lived with her grandparents and father for a couple of years in a big house on College Avenue.

A couple of years later her dad remarried, and he and his wife Maxine added two more children to the family.

Nancy was a motherly soul from a young age and found her place when started at Colorado A & M (now CSU) and joined the Tri-Deltas sorority. She loved college life where she majored in Home Economics and made life-long friends. She also met Danny Bailey, who she married in 1956.

Throughout the 67 years of their marriage, they traveled the world and raised three very grateful children, Brenda, Kathy and Mike. She was always a homebody, but went along on trips to Mexico, Ecuador, Honduras, many places in Europe, and every state in in the continental U.S. She was game for all of it without a complaint but always loved being home most.

Nancy made friends wherever she went and kept track of many, many birthdays, buying cards by the dozen. She was the kindest, most generous person you can imagine. She was everyone’s mom, and many of our childhood friends have expressed how much she meant to them.

She was the solid, constant force of our family. We all knew mom was there for anything at any time. She was an amazing mom: room mother, girl scout cookie chairman, nurse, caretaker, homework helper and cheerleader. She had a meal on the table for us every evening at 5 p.m. and never failed to kiss us each goodnight.

As her six grandsons came along, her love increased by multitudes. She treasured having the boys come and stay and kept them busy with trips to the park, games, puzzles and make believe.

In the later part of her life, she started working out with her trainer, Andy. They became fast friends and she and dad loved his baby daughter Harper and doted on having a little girl in their lives. She also became involved in the biking community and loved spending time at the bike races and marveled at all the special attention she received there as Grandma Nancy.

She died on May 31 in the home she loved, where she had lived on her own since Danny passed in 2023. She spoke to each of her kids the day before and once again assured them all was well.