By Wade Malcolm
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
ELIZABETH, Pa. — The Lily Pad is a tiny speck of a diner among the businesses on Second Avenue in Elizabeth Borough, serving breakfast and lunch.
Most customers are regulars, evidenced by the sign reading “locals only” near one of the restaurant’s six tables. Right underneath that sign, with his back to the wall, was Lenny Bailey’s favorite place to sit.
“We seat 28,” said Bob Buchina, who helps operate the diner along with his wife, Terri, the owner. “Well, 27 now.”
The table has been pushed against the wall, the chair set aside and permanently reserved in honor of Leonard Bailey Jr., the Elizabeth Borough fire chief who died early Wednesday morning of a heart attack while responding to a call. He was 56.
Mr. Buchina plans to hang a couple of pictures over Mr. Bailey’s preferred position and perhaps attach a placard to the chair. The dinner-style tribute demonstrates the kind of mainstay Mr. Bailey was in the small Mon Valley community, where he was also a councilman and a car mechanic.
He was a firefighter for more than 35 years, serving as chief for the last nine years, according to an Elizabeth Borough Volunteer Fire Department news release. He died in his home on the 200 block of Water Street on his way to a structure fire just down the street at a vacant bar formerly owned by his family.
“I’m actually glad he went that way,” said his daughter, Lee Ann Bailey, 28, of Elizabeth Borough. “He didn’t get to say goodbye, but he didn’t suffer.”
Mr. Bailey was raised in Elizabeth and graduated from Elizabeth High School. He worked for Consolidated Coal for 15 years while in his late 20s and 30s. He then opened a repair garage and became widely known for his knowledge of Volkswagens, family members said.
Besides his daughter Lee Ann, he is survived by his wife, Linda; his mother, Margaret Bailey, of Elizabeth Borough; two other daughters Cher Moser and Rena Stirling, both of Elizabeth Borough; a son, Leonard Bailey III, of Union Township; a sister, Janice Hooe, of Springfield, Va.; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at Bekavac Funeral Home, 221 Second St., Elizabeth Borough, where the funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Fire departments wishing to participate in the funeral procession are asked to contact the Elizabeth Volunteer Fire Department.
A memorial fund has been established at the PNC Bank in Elizabeth Borough, and checks can be made payable to Elizabeth Firemen’s Association Lenny Bailey Jr. Memorial Fund.
Copyright 2007 P.G. Publishing Co.