Martha Jean Bailey

Martha Jean Bailey, 89, passed away Wednesday evening, March 13th, 2019 at Westminster Village North in Indianapolis, Indiana where she had spent the last 9 years of her life. She was born July 24th, 1929 in Beech Grove, Indiana, the youngest of 5 children of Ralph B. and Marie Anna Bailey. Martha received her undergraduate AB degree at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana and a Master of Science degree at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She went on to work for some large companies which included Eli Lilly & Company, E.I. DuPont, the Union Carbide Corporation, and Purdue University where she served first as Physics Librarian and then as the Life Science Librarian. During her career, Martha served on the Grantee Council on Library Resources, was a member of the American Library Association, Association of College and Research Libraries, a member of the Special Libraries Association, and member of the American Society for Information Science. She was also the author of three published books. They are, 'Women in Science from Colonial Times to 1950'; 'Women in Science from 1950 to Present'; and 'The Special Librarian as a Supervisor or Middle Manager', all of which are available on Amazon. After retiring from Purdue University, she moved back to Beech Grove to be near her family. There she worked as a volunteer for the Beech Grove Public Library and for the Indianapolis Zoo which honored her work there by having their resident elephant artist, Tombi, paint her a picture. Left to cherish her memory are several nieces and nephews. They are: John W. Bailey, Gina Cataldo, Amelia Stern (Don), Francie Wertenberger, Helen Bailey, Teresa Lane, Patricia J. Brown (Monty), John Bailey, Jim Bailey, David Bailey, Melody Annaed, Katherine Dennison, Sylvia Dennison (Bob Hogan), Margaret Dillon, her brother Paul's daughter, nephew-in-law, Walter Operacz, and several great and great-great nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Martha was preceded in death by her three brothers, Ralph, John, and Paul Bailey, her sister Barbara Dennison and her husband Randall, a niece, Anna Operacz, and two nephews, David R. Dennison and John F. Dennison. Visitation will be Thursday, March 21st 2019 from 11:30 am until 1:00 pm at Little & Sons Funeral Home, 1301 Main St. Beech Grove, Indiana with a Celebration of Life to follow at 1:00 pm at the funeral home. There are no graveside services.