Keels Dale Bailey

Keels Dale Bailey died somewhat unexpectedly in Portland, Oregon on May 14, 2025, after recently celebrating his 89th birthday. Dale, as he was generally known, was born in Greenville, South Carolina. The family soon relocated to southeastern Ohio where he grew up. He graduated from Lash High School in Zanesville, Ohio in 1954.

Dale began his journey in higher education at the College of Wooster in Ohio, graduating with a BA in Philosophy in 1958. In 1961, he graduated from Harvard Divinity School with a Master in Divinity and was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. He moved to the Los Angeles area where he served as a Minister of Youth and then Minister of Counseling while pursuing his studies toward a doctorate at the Claremont School of Theology. His course work which was mainly focused on psychology qualified him to be licensed as a clinical psychologist in CA. He earned his doctorate and opened his private practice in Pasadena in 1968.

He relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-1970s to be close to his children after he and his first wife divorced. He continued to work with children, individuals, couples and groups. Later in his career, he did advanced training which focused on couples work. He retired soon after moving to Portland, Oregon in 2003.

Dale balanced his professional career with many other interests during and beyond his working years. He loved sports both as participant (football in high school and frisbee in college), and fan (San Francisco 49ers and Oregon Ducks). He enjoyed singing in the chorus at Wooster. His love of travel, especially in Europe, began during a year at Oxford, while on an exchange program for his middle Harvard year. A serious interest in reading, from classics to current events, began for Dale in high school and continued throughout his life.

Dale is survived by his wife of 40 years, Phyllis Bekemeyer; his children, daughter Susan Di Piazza, and son Phillip Bailey (Kristiina); his stepdaughters Maria Peyer (Mike) and Angela Peyer (Jeff); and seven grandchildren, Sarah, Grace, Rachel, Sophia, Luke, Domenico, and Zuzu; and his younger brother, Neil Bailey. His older brothers, Wayne, Ralph, Gary, and Paul preceded him in death. Dale was a loving and supportive husband, father, and grandfather. He especially enjoyed his close relationships with the grandchildren.

Providing a welcoming and comfortable home for his growing family to live and later gather together was a priority for Dale. He had picked up many building skills over his younger life which often enabled him to work side by side with professionals he hired for remodels of his homes both in CA and in OR. One of his favorite projects was the transformation of the rear garden area, complete with a generous sized gazebo to protect from sun and Oregon rain. This was one of his favorite places to sit and read. And it was the site of many family gatherings—even Christmas during Covid!

The other project very dear to his heart was the Elf Village he built for the neighborhood children along the sidewalk in the front garden. Early on, there were mailboxes To and From the Chief Elf, Ragizo, with whom the children could correspond. A few parts of the village survive to this day and continue to bring joy to children who pass by. And until nearly the end of his life, Dale loved watching them pause to play.