February 28, 2008 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Obituaries

Barbara E. Bailey

Barbara E. Bailey, 85, formerly of Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill, a concert pianist and teacher, died Feb. 21 at the Montebello retirement community, Albuquerque, N.M.

Known in Philadelphia by her maiden name, Barbara Elliott, Mrs. Bailey performed at colleges, libraries, women’s clubs and museums, among them the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

She made her concert debut in 1942 with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Eugene Ormandy as a winner of the Youth Contest, playing the Beethoven Piano Concerto in G Major to very favorable reviews.

A Philadelphia native, Mrs. Bailey graduated from Olney High School and from the Curtis Institute of Music with a bachelor’s degree in music. She was a long time student of and assistant to Isabell Vengerova, a preeminent teacher of piano.

She completed art courses at the Barnes Foundation and began graduate work at Bryn Mawr College in 1967. After relocating to Evanston, Ill., in 1968, she earned both a master’s degree in music and a doctorate in music history and literature from Northwestern University.

She taught piano privately and music history and literature at community colleges and at Beloit College during that period.

Mrs. Bailey and her husband, John A. Bailey, returned to Philadelphia in 1976, living in Chestnut Hill until 1992, when they moved to Santa Fe, N.M.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Louise Duback of La Jolla, Calif.; a son, John Elliott Bailey of Mendham, N.J.; a sister, Mary Louise Krumrine of Philadelphia, and three grandchildren.

William F. Good

William F. Good, 95, of Chestnut Hill, a retired executive, died Feb. 16 at the Hill at Whitemarsh.

Mr. Good retired in 1978 as a principal of Albert & Good, a sheet metal firm he had established in Philadelphia in 1962. Earlier, he had been president of Peninsula-Lurton Naval Stores of Jacksonville, Fla., and Savannah, Ga.

A native of Antwerp, Belgium, he came to the United States in 1937 as an employee of the Gulf Oil Corp. He later worked as an accountant with the Bunge Corp., an international firm with offices in New York City.

During World War II, he served with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).

Mr. Good is survived by his wife, the former Linette de Roeck; sons Frederic, Daniel and Michael; six grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

A funeral Mass was celebrated at Our Mother of Consolation Church in Chestnut Hill on Feb. 22. Interment was at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Charities, 222 N. 17th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103.

Thomas C. Shipley

Thomas Christopher Shipley, 61, of Boulder, Colo., formerly of Chestnut Hill, died at his home on Feb. 18 as a result of a sudden cardiac episode.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Shipley was the son of the late Geraldine Thaete Shipley and Samuel R. Shipley. He was a graduate of Cardinal Dougherty High School in Philadelphia and the University of Colorado.

Mr. Shipley worked at Data 393, an IT infrastructure company headquartered in Englewood, Colo. He served in the U.S. Army and was a member of the 101st Airborne Division, (Air Assault). He served in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970 and was awarded the Bronze Star for valor and courage under fire. Following his military service, he returned to Boulder, the city he came to love during his college days.

In Boulder, Mr. Shipley was one of the founding members of the Boulder Rugby Football Club. He was a ferocious competitor, and he played for his team for many decades, both on national and international fields. He reluctantly retired from the Seniors Team in 2007.

Mr. Shipley is survived by his older brother, Samuel R. Shipley III of Strafford, Pa., a niece, Julia R. Shipley of Craftsbury, Vt., and a nephew, Upton S. Shipley also of Strafford, Pa. 

Funeral services will be held in Boulder at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 29 at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 14th Street and Mapleton Ave. Interment will be in Philadelphia.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Veterans Helping Veterans Now, P.O. Box 17158, Boulder CO, 80308.

Elsie P. Buyers

Elsie Parkhurst Buyers, 76, a homemaker and lifelong volunteer, died of cancer Feb. 16 in her home at the Hill at Whitemarsh, Lafayette Hill.

She is survived by daughters Elsie “Ellie” Viehman of Philadelphia, Rebecca “Becky” Buyers of Bar Harbor, Maine, and Jane Russo of New York City and six grandchildren.

A memorial service was held Feb. 23 at the Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center in Benton, Pa.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center, 42 Community Drive, Benton, PA 17814.

Jean P. Breish

Jean P. Breish, 86, formerly of Oreland and Ocean City, N.J. died Feb. 24 at Bishop White Lodge at Cathedral Village. She had been living at Springfield Residence for the past year.

Mrs. Breish was the wife of the late John W. Breish. She is survived by two sons, Phillip P. and Russell S., and eight grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, John W. Jr.

Services will be private. Memorial contributions can be sent to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Rae F. Arena

Rae F. D’Lauro Arena, 81, of Flourtown, died Jan. 30.

Mrs. Arena was the wife of the late Harry N. Arena.

She  is survived by a son, Harry; daughters Janice, Frances Jean and Nancy; a sister, Frances McKinney; brothers Felix and Anthony D’Lauro, and five grandchildren.

A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Genevieve Church, 1225 Bethlehem Pike, Flourtown, on Feb. 4. Interment was at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Genevieve Church or to Wissahickon Hospice, 150 Monument Road, Suite 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004.