William Alfred (Bill) Bailey, our treasured Dad and Papa, age 90, of West End, NC passed away at FirstHealth of Pinehurst on January 6, 2024. Bill was born in Swann Station, NC to William Albert (Bert)and Elsie Thomas Bailey, the second oldest of five children.
Bill and wife, Clara, had two children, Tim of West End, and Lauren (Bill) Palmerton of Winston-Salem, who survive him. Also surviving are grandchildren Ryan(LeAnn) Bailey, Jared(Melissa) Bailey, Bethany, Elise and William Aidan Palmerton, and great-granddaughter, Addie Bailey.
Bill will also be greatly missed by his sister, Carolyn(Jimmy) Lea of West End and brother, Lester Bailey of Carthage. He was preceded in death by wife, Clara in May 2023, and brothers, Waylon and Jerry, in past years.
Bill grew up in a farming family near Carthage, NC, loving sports, particularly basketball, from a young age. Bill met the lovely, Clara, in their high school years at a basketball game at her West End High School, he from Farm Life High School. They married in July 1954 and were together for almost 70 years until Clara’s passing late last spring. Bill worked at Clark Chevrolet after graduation then later worked in shipping at JP Stevens/Gulistan Carpets of Aberdeen where wife Clara already worked. Later, Bill joined the Pinehurst ABC store where he became manager and remained for almost 35 years before semi-retirement in 1994 for several years. He enjoyed meeting new people and hearing about the lives and families of his customers through the years. Bill and Clara were active members of Culdee Presbyterian Church their entire married lives, enjoying many men’s club events, Harvest Festivals, Bible schools, revivals and homecoming celebrations on top of most regular Sunday services over the years.
It must be noted that Bill also felt a strong devotion to Union Presbyterian Church in Carthage where he learned his faithful ways and enjoyed gathering with other family and friends for homecomings and reunions.
Bill was glad to be a member of the Pinehurst Lion’s Club some years in the past, serving as president for multiple years and was awarded Lion of the Year multiple times. He and friends joined in many community events supporting the prevention of blindness and the visually impaired, collection of recycled eyeglasses and other efforts for youth and funding several charities in the county and state.
He also loved the North Carolina Tar Heels and enjoyed many basketball and football games, mostly watching on TV but attended several games in person, too. He was a generous fan pulling for all the ACC teams but always Carolina Blue first. Another favorite pastime of his was golf. He began playing as a young man, never attaining a low handicap but still enjoying the game with different friends at many courses over the years. He played both righthanded and lefthanded, scoring two holes-in-one, the second with son, Tim, as a witness. He passed on this love of golf to grandsons, Ryan and Aidan, both of whom have many rounds to go to catch up with Papa’s holes played.
Bill and Clara liked going for meals out, weekend trips to the beach and mountains in healthier days. Bill was the best husband, Dad and Papa, always caring for Clara especially in their later challenging years. He enjoyed hearing about and attending the different activities of Tim, Lauren, and grandkids over the years and knowing they were enjoying life and looking forward to their next visits and calls.
He will be so missed by all who knew him. His greatest legacy was love of family and he never met a stranger. We’ll all remember his stories for sure.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at 2:00 PM at Culdee Presbyterian Church, 916 NC Hwy 73, West End, NC with Rev. Connie Weaver officiating. Burial will follow at Culdee cemetery. The family will receive friends following the burial at the church fellowship hall. Memorial contributions may be made to Seven Lakes Fire & Rescue of West End.
Online condolences may be made at www.bolesfuneralhome.com.
Service arrangements are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home.
