At this time I’d like to take a moment before we move one to acknowledge the passing of Gordon Bailey, who was a longtime dedicated member of the Newport community. He served the city for many years and contributed greatly to our civic life, and we are grateful for that service and the lasting impact that it had on Newport.”

Mayor Laurie Elliott

The City of Newport honored Gordon Bailey with a moment of silence at the Feb. 5 council meeting.
Bailey, who died Jan. 29 at age 90 at his home in Newport, dedicated nearly 70 years of his life to Bailey Nurseries.
Attending St. John’s University in Collegeville and graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1957, Bailey was known as a humble, thoughtful, and hardworking, playing a pivotal role in shaping the growth, culture, and long-term vision at Bailey Nurseries, his influence extending beyond the area to the broader horticulture industry. Bailey was remembered as passionate about environmental stewardship and growing plants. Plant contributions from Bailey include selection of Frontyard Linden (tilia americana), Wildfire Winterberry (ilex verticillata), and Shamrock Littleleaf Linden (tilia cordata ‘Baileyi’).
Among Bailey’s many life accomplishments was organizing the Tour de Hort, a bicycle race of over 2,100 miles to raise $1.25 million for the Horticulture Research Institute that took place between 1999 and 2003. He also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro at age 79 to help fund construction of a girl’s school in Nairobi, Kenya, and wrote a memoir entitled “Filled with Gratitude.” In addition he served on many boards, including as president of the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) and as Trustee for the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation, Carpenter Nature Center, and Saint John’s University, among others. He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame for both MNLA and the American Nursery and Landscape Association.
Mayor Laurie Elliott led the council in a moment of silence for Bailey.
“At this time I’d like to take a moment before we move one to acknowledge the passing of Gordon Bailey, who was a longtime dedicated member of the Newport community,” she said. “He served the city for many years and contributed greatly to our civic life, and we are grateful for that service and the lasting impact that it had on Newport. On behalf of the Council we extend our condolences to the Bailey family and loved ones, and I’d like to acknowledge the family has been in Newport since 1849, and each generation has been generous towards this community and has shaped it in a way that we wouldn’t be the Newport we are without them. And Gordon certainly had a vision for this community and what it could be. His memories will live on beyond this, and we will be doing something more formal at our next council meeting. But at this time I’d like to just ask for a brief moment of silence in Gordon’s memory.”
A more formal recognition is planned for the Thursday, Feb. 19 Newport City Council meeting.