Obituary: Doris Anderson Bailey
Provided Photo
September 20, 1936 – April 17, 2023
Doris Bailey, age 86, of Vail, Colorado, passed away on April 17, 2023. She was preceded in death by her mother, Ella Anderson, her father, Al Anderson, and her nephew, Scott C. Ward, Lt. Col. USAF.
She is survived by her sister, Shirley Ward, Stacey Kerek (husband, Phil Kerek), Stephanie Ward and Daughters, Bella & Zoey Archibeque, Richard Ward (wife, Tami Ward) and Cole, Jake and Zach Ward (father, Scott Ward, Deceased).
Born in Kirtland, Ohio (near Cleveland), Doris graduated from Willoughby High School, followed by graduation at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio. She married Dick Bailey in the chapel at Lake Erie College, and it wasn’t long before the ski bug got the both of them. Dick was an architect and took a job at Fitzhugh Scott in Vail, Colorado in 1963. They traded 2 black Volkswagen bugs for a chevy station wagon, packed their skis and drove west. Doris was hired as manager of the new Vail Resort Association. This organization was fueled by Dick Hauserman and Vail Associates, Inc. to promote group business in Vail Village hotels, restaurants and shops. Bob Parker had the mountain covered, and the VRA was on board to fill the village with people. The VRA shared an office in the Plaza building with George Knox, Sr., Editor of Vail’s new newspaper, THE VAIL TRAIL. Vail Associates, Inc. Was located in the same building.
She worked feverishly with CHSMA (Colorado Hotel Sales Management Association), a new organization formed in Denver to promote the Colorado ski industry locally, nationally and internationally.
Doris Was much involved in the beginnings of the original Charter needed to transition our ‘company town’ into the Town of Vail as well as helping to form the Vail Women’s Golf Association, once the first nine holes of the Vail Golf Course were completed.
As years progressed, she worked for Bill and Sally Hanlon at the Emporium (now Wild Bill’s). She then got a real estate license and worked for Rod Slifer at Slifer & Company, later to become Slifer, Smith & Frampton.
Her smile is missed, and a celebration of her life will be held Thursday, June 15, at 1:30-4:30pm in the Donovan Pavilion.
