John David Bailey, 71

John David Bailey, 71, died on Jan. 13, 2015, with his family surrounding him at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, after a valiant 11-month battle with kidney cancer.

John was born Sept. 11, 1943, in Havre, first child of Edward and Maxine Bailey, lifelong educators.

Above all else, John revered family and was fiercely loyal, proud and supportive of his wife, children, grandchildren and close friends. He valued the life lessons passed on by his ancestors, including those from his grandparents, who had Irish and Scottish roots. Visits to explore his family history in both Northern Ireland and Scotland helped to shape and tighten John’s strong family bond.

John loved Montana. He valued its wide-open spaces, astonishing beauty and the lasting connections easily formed among its people.

As a boy in Eureka and Kalispell, he enjoyed shooting baskets against the garage, fishing in Ashley Creek and attending Boy Scout and church summer camps. Growing up, both of his grandfathers were employed by the Great Northern Railway. John spent many days learning about the history of railroad life in Montana. He carried on this passion for railroads by taking annual train rides to Essex with his grandchildren.

John graduated from Flathead County High School (FCHS) in 1961. He was a class officer, a Boys State delegate, and a Master Councilor of DeMolay. His family belonged to the First Presbyterian Church of Kalispell where John sang in the choir and discovered his love for music.

His proudest Braves’ moment was being a member of the 1959 undefeated Montana State Championship football team coached by Jim Sweeney, defeating Butte 39-0 in the infamous “play or forfeit” game.

At the University of Montana, John studied finance and music. He was a proud member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, building many lifelong friendships. In 1963, he was a cast member of a UM drama department production of the musical "The Fantasticks,” which was performed at the Bigfork Summer Playhouse. That fall, the cast and production performed throughout eastern Asia on a USO tour. He often reflected on the tour memories and friendships gained. John graduated from the University of Montana in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in finance and earned a master’s degree in economics in early 1967.

While in Missoula, he dated his future wife of 47 years, Robin (Connie Graham), and they married in 1967. John was accepted into the United States Marine Corps and began his training by completing Officer Candidate School and the Marine Corps Officer Basic School in Quantico, Virginia. John entered U.S. Naval aviation training in Pensacola, Florida, was awarded his Naval flight officer “Wings of Gold,” and was designated as a radar intercept officer (RIO). He completed follow-on training as a RIO in the F-4B Phantom. His operational tours included flying with VMFA-513 in Cherry Point, North Carolina, and VMFA-334 in El Toro, California. In January 1970, John was forward deployed with VMFA-334 in Iwakuni, Japan, completing missions in support of the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged as a captain in 1971.

John valued duty and service to country and, throughout his life, honored the military service and sacrifice of others.

Following his military service, John, Robin and their two young children returned to Montana where John became a commercial loan officer for Great Falls National Bank. They raised their children in Great Falls where he enjoyed coaching their basketball teams and teaching them music, tennis and golf. John was president of the Great Falls Kiwanis Club, a board member of the United Way of Cascade County and a founding director of Paris Gibson Square.

In 1984, John returned “home” with his family to Kalispell, becoming the chief financial officer, CFO, of Crop Hail Management. In 1989, John became a certified financial planner (CFP) and opened the Investment Centers of America (ICA) office in Hamilton, growing important personal relationships with his clients, where he continued working until his death. During his 25 years with ICA, he served on the ICA Advisory Council and board of directors of Invest Financial Corporation. John split his time between his business in Hamilton and homes in Kalispell and West Glacier. He shared his leadership and business acumen while serving on the President’s Advisory Council for the University of Montana. He was also an active member and Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, and served for many years as a board member for the Daly Mansion and as chairman of the City of Hamilton Zoning Board of Adjustment.

John loved music. Primarily a vocalist, he was also a self-taught pianist and stand-up bass player. His favorite moments were spent as part of jam sessions with friends, his son, daughter and grandchildren, adding the foundational bass line and perfect harmony to whatever song was being played.

John sang with the Great Falls Symphonic Choir, the Glacier Orchestra and Chorale, the Montana Chorale, the Missoula Mendelssohn Club and the Missoula Symphony Chorale. Among his musical performing highlights were concerts in the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Czech Republic, New Zealand and the United States Bicentennial celebration at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Most notably, John often shared his beautiful baritone voice singing “Danny Boy” on many occasions.

More than any other place, John and Robin enjoyed spending time with family and friends in Glacier National Park, at their family homes on Lake McDonald and in West Glacier. John was committed to teaching his grandchildren the lessons of life. Topics varied from geology, Broadway musicals, Montana history, macroeconomics and the simple pleasure of birds and their migratory patterns and sounds. John’s other major passions included golf, his lupine garden and flowers, and his ferocious loyalty to the Griz.

John is survived by his wife of 47 years, Robin; son, Chris Bailey, and his wife, Gilan, of Carmel Valley, California; daughter, Kate Bailey French, and her husband, Dale, of Portland; sister, Helen Moen, and her husband, Gary, of Lakeside; brother, Jim Bailey, of Spokane; nephew, Brent Bradley, and his wife, Kathleen, of Bend, Oregon; and his beloved grandchildren Will French, Addison French, Read Reynolds, Kerry Reynolds and Weston Bailey; and numerous cousins.

Cremation has taken place and a memorial service is being planned for this summer. Donations in memory of John may be made to the Hockaday Museum of Art (Ed Bailey Scholarship Fund); the Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down and Food Pantry; or a music-related non-profit organization of choice.

A favorite quote of John’s by Mark Twain was, “Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind, and astound the other.”

The family would like to thank everyone who offered their support, especially the medical staff at KRMC and Health Center NW Hospice.