Joan Moss Bailey was born in Monrovia, California with her twin sister, Judy, in November 1926. She was the daughter of William J. and
Helen Davis Bailey. She was educated in Monrovia’s schools and later attended Stanford University. In 1947, she married Alexander Crane McGilvray and started her family, raising two sons and a daughter.
Initially, Joan was a homemaker, but she always had ambitions to work outside the home. She loved to sew and with her growing business acumen, created her own clothing business. Always independent by nature, however, she kept her eye toward a more established career in business. Her daughter, Lynn, remembers her often saying, “I’m looking for something where I am working smarter, not harder.”
A Successful Businesswoman for 30 Years
By the mid-1960s, Joan broke new ground by becoming the first female stockbroker to be trained by, and work for, Dean Witter & Company. Her successful career in the securities brokerage business spanned more than 30 years. Lynn says “she was very intelligent in the way she went into business with the male money managers. She carried herself as their equal in intelligence and was very competitive when negotiating business.”
Because Joan understood firsthand the struggles women experienced when trying to break into the business world, she also committed herself to sharing her expertise with female friends and neighbors. She hosted seminars at night to help women learn about understanding and managing their families’ finances and mentored young women who wanted to establish their own business careers.
Later Years in St. Malo
Joan lived in Pasadena until she moved to the lovely beach community of St. Malo, located in Oceanside, California. There she built a beautiful house and entertained family and friends. Joan was always ready for spirited conversation, a competitive game of bridge, tennis or dominoes, or a tough crossword puzzle. “She cherished her family and friends,” remembers Lynn, “and always tried to reciprocate the love and loyalty they gave her throughout her life.” Joan’s endowment will support PCF’s local grantmaking.
The Power of Endowment
Endowments are the cornerstone of PCF’s mission to build hometown legacies. The corpus of each endowed fund is invested with PCF’s portfolio for long-term growth. Each year, the endowments generate the funds that support PCF’s local grantmaking, which enriches the arts community, protects our environment, provides health care and critical social services, and bolsters public education in Pasadena. Endowments are permanent legacies for our community; these funds will continue to grow and provide philanthropic support forever. Become a PCF Endowment Builder.
Established March 2022