Overflow crowd pays tribute to Mr. Bailey

Kapa’a — More than 500 people showed up for yesterday’s memorial service for Kaua’i educator Cliff Bailey.

With more than an hour left before the 4:30 p.m. service was scheduled to begin, the field surrounding All Saints Episcopal Church was already quickly filling with cars and wellwishers for Bailey’s family.

Numerous tents decorated the front and sides of the church, providing shelter for food for after the service and housing art created by students at Bailey’s school, Kapa’a Elementary School, where he was the principal before his death. Posters covered one of the tents with a variety of drawings and signs such as “We all miss Mr. Bailey” and “Mr. Bailey, you touched our hearts.”

As the service’s start-time neared, the crowd quickly expanded to the folding chairs and benches set on both sides of the church. At times, the line to enter the grounds extended out along Kuhio Highway.

As Kaua’i County Police officers arrived to direct the last-minute traffic, friends, family, work associates, students and their families continued to stream onto the grounds. As the Rev. Kaleo Patterson began the invocation, many attendees had to settle for standing-room only.

Attendees ranged from Kaua’i County Mayor Maryanne Kusaka to state schools superintendent Paul LeMahieu.

Bailey, who died last Friday at the age of 50, had been principal of Kapa’a Elementary since 1989.

During his long career as an educator, he also served in various roles at Kapa’a High and Intermediate School and Hanalei, Kilauea and Waimea Canyon elementary schools. He also was involved in community activities through the Kapa’a Rotary Club.

A second service for Bailey is scheduled for tomorrow at Punhaou School Chapel in Honolulu.

Staff writer Matt Smylie can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 226) and mailto:msmylie@pulitzer.net