An obituary was published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, on 13 April 2017
Lueta Eubanks Bailey of Griffin, Georgia, a leader in the Episcopal Church for decades, died March 26, 2017. The daughter of a Methodist minister, she attended LaGrange College. In 1946, she married Seaton G. Bailey of Griffin, who died in 1975. In 1983, she married Paul E. Stahlin, who died in 1998.
Joining the Episcopal Church after marrying Mr. Bailey, she held local, diocesan, provincial, and national offices. Mrs. Bailey served as Presiding Officer of the Episcopal Church Women in 1967. She became one of the first women seated in the Church's General Convention House of Deputies, as well as the first woman to address the Convention as a whole, and the first woman nominated as President of the House of Deputies. Serving nine years on the Church's Executive Council, she was the first woman to Chair the Council's Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance. In these roles, Mrs. Bailey influenced Church policies on desegregation, discrimination, and the ordination of women.
She later remained active in the Diocese of Atlanta, joined her parish vestry, and assisted in establishing an Episcopal home for the elderly in Griffin. In 2010, she was recognized by the Church as one of its pioneers. A lifelong student of gardening, she devoted herself to her gardens in Griffin and Highlands, North Carolina. Above all, she loved her family.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, David and Elaine Bailey; her grandchildren, Meredith Simmons (Mrs. McKittrick Simmons), Julia Carter (Mrs. Evan Carter), and Seaton G. ("Grant") Bailey; and six great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held for her at St. George's Episcopal Church in Griffin at 10:30 a.m. on April 20. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to Emory Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, 1762 Clifton Rd, NE Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30322.
Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Apr. 13, 2017.
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