Donna Marie Bailey

Donna Marie (Eggerling) Bailey passed away peacefully on Monday, March 7, 2016 in Mclean, Virginia. She was 81 years old. Donna will be dearly missed by her husband of her 60 years, Bill Bailey, her five children, their spouses, 15 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Donna was the youngest of 11 children born to Theodore & Josephine Eggerling, and was proud to hail from the small town of Orient, South Dakota. During their youth, Donna and several of her sisters would sing with their brother Ted while their brother Milt accompanied them on the piano. Donna graduated from Orient High School in 1953, and moved to San Francisco to live with her sisters Pat, Lorey, and Marlene. The foursome performed as "The Kandi Sisters,” singing at military posts throughout California to entertain the troops. They recorded with Embee Records as backup singers, and later became a featured act at the Sands Ballroom in Oakland where they sang with the Sid Hoff Orchestra. The group went on to perform with the Harry James Orchestra, appear with Lawrence Welk and his Orchestra, and make TV appearances on the Don Sherwood Show, the Del Courtney Show, and a season on the California Hayride TV show with Cottonseed Clark. On August 9th, 1955 the Kandi Sisters made their national television debut in an appearance on the Horace Heidt TV program "Show Wagon". They were one of three acts chosen out of the 250 that auditioned to appear on the show.

In January 1956, Donna joined her sisters at the Cocktail Lounge restaurant in San Francisco. Donna was 20-years old and carrying her sister Pat’s ID. That night she met Bill Bailey, who ran the club. Bill was smitten with Donna, but there was some confusion when he called to ask “Pat” out on a date. Once Bill reached the right girl, the two courted, and in November of that year, were married in Carmel, California. Donna and Bill proceeded to live in multiple cities around the country while Bill’s career in the hospitality industry progressed. In 1970, Donna and Bill moved with their five young children to Mclean, Virginia, where they would live for 17 years. Donna desperately missed her sisters on the West Coast, and upon Bill’s retirement, the couple moved to Belmont, California to be nearer to them. They subsequently moved to Florida where they would spend 16 years, before returning to Virginia in 2006.

Throughout all of the relocations, Donna’s passion was raising her children. She showered them with love and taught them compassion. Her home was always open to family, friends, and neighbors. The Baileys developed a particularly close relationship to the priests and brothers of the Trinity Missions SST, a Catholic order based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Donna frequently hosted evenings of dinner and card games with the guys from Trinity Missions as well as her sister-in-law, the late Katie Bailey, of Fairfax, Virginia. Donna was an avid crossword puzzler, the family champion Scrabble player, and loved other word games.

Donna was a devout Catholic, often finding joy and solace in praying the Rosary and attending Mass. She served as a Eucharistic Minister and provided other ministerial services to the church on a regular basis throughout her life. Donna is survived by her husband, Bill, her five children and their families: Patty Carpenter and her husband Mark (children Tim, Sara, and Noah, and grandchild, Madison) of Glen Allen, Virginia; Polly Murray and her husband Tim (children Dan, Bob, and Christie) of Chantilly, Virginia; Paula Schreiber (children Bill and Stephanie) of Orlando, Florida; Tim Bailey and his wife Mary Beth Harcarufka (children Erin, Chris, and Griffin) of Orlando, Florida; and Bill Bailey and his wife Erica (children Ellie, William, Colin, and Finn) of Arlington, Virginia.

Donna’s family will celebrate a private Catholic Memorial Mass later in the week. Internment at the Arlington National Cemetary will also be private. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Donna’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association or to Trinity Missions, Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity.

The family welcomes you to share your special memories and thoughts of Donna here.

Arrangements under the direction of Murphy Falls Church Funeral Home, Falls Church, Virginia.