G.W. Bailey

Longtime Wasilla resident G.W. Bailey, 70, died Nov. 3, 2010, at his rural Wasilla home.

A memorial service is from 2 to 4:30 p.m., Nov. 10, at the First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla, 1375 E Bogard Road. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.

Garfield Wade Bailey was born April 12, 1940, in Charlottesville, Virginia, the son of Garfield Jackson and Elva Myrtle (Frazier) Bailey. A 36-year resident of Wasilla, G.W. and his family were the owners of Bailey’s Backhoe.

A member of the Baptist faith, G.W. loved hunting, fishing, snowmobiles and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The family wrote that, “G.W. loved his wife, Mae, his children, Jamie and Wade, and his grandchildren, Harley, Kylie and Kimberlee. He had many friends and always enjoyed spending time with them. He was born in Virginia, but loved Alaska from the first day he was here.”

Survivors include his wife, Mae, of the family home; sons, Jamie and his wife Michele and Wade and his wife Marjorie, all of Wasilla; granddaughters, Harley, Kimberlee and Kylie; sisters, Helen Stuphin and her husband Harvey of Amissville, Va., Virginia Hodgson and her husband Francis of Amissville, Va., and Shirley Stover and her husband Peter of Culpeper, Va.

Valley Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.