March 12, 1925 — Oct. 3, 2014

Opal Elouise (Filley) Bailey, 89, of Dowagiac, Michigan passed away at 1:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 3, 2014, at her home in Dowagiac. She joins her husband Joel A. Bailey, who preceded her death in 1999.

She was born on March 12th, 1925, in Coldwater, Michigan to the late Donald D. and Lolo M. (Morehouse) Filley.

Throughout the years, Opal enjoyed writing, reading romance novels, watching Shirley Temple movies, gardening, collecting glass figurines and relaxing at her lakefront cottage in Sturgis, Michigan.

She will be deeply missed by her surviving sons Joel A. Bailey, Jr. of Dowagiac, Michigan and Jeffery L. Bailey of Constantine, Michigan; her daughter-in-law Theresa Ramsby of Niles, Michigan; her grandchildren Rebecca Swetay, Jessica First, Adeline (Victoria) Bailey; her brother Oliver “Keith” Filley of Coldwater, Michigan; and several great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her brothers Dewain, Rex, Roy, Ruby “Star” and her sisters Glenna “Bobbie” and Pearl “Puggy”.

Funeral services will be held at Brown Funeral Home at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, at Brown Funeral Home in Niles with a time of visitation beginning at 10 a.m. A committal will be private at Oak Grove Cemetery in Coldwater, Michigan.

Contributions in memory to Opal can be made to St. Jude’s Children Hospital.

Those wishing to leave a message for the family, upload a photo of Opal or send their condolences may do so at our website at

www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com or on our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/BrownFuneralHomeNiles.