J. D. Bailey

J. D. Bailey, a lifelong Owensboro resident until his move 6 years ago to Dogwood Retreat Assisted Living Facility in Hartford, KY, passed away Monday, September 19th due to complications following a series of bouts with pneumonia. Ninety-six years of age, he was born December 1, 1914 the only son of Elnora "Ella" Brown and Jefferson Davis "Jeff" Bailey at his home near Philpot, KY in Daviess County. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 65 years, Lillian Marie Iglehart Bailey who died on September 24, 2002. The sole survivor of his immediate family, he was predeceased by 4 sisters: Helen Rose Bailey who died in infancy, Edwina Parrett, Mae Parrett, and Mary Lou Cheek, and also by his grandson, Michael Pennington.
He was a veteran of World War II having served in the Army's elite 10th Mountain Division known as the "skiing soldiers". He served as an engineer and was instrumental in reconnaissance, construction and operation of the first aerial tramway used by the United States military at Ca di Julio in Italy at the battle of Riva Ridge. The tramway was used to deliver supplies to U.S. troops at the top of a mountain where German troops had been ensconced for years holding hostage the villagers in the towns below. The tramway also transported casualties of the fighting down the mountain in 20 minutes as opposed to hours being hand carried by litter. He operated the tramway non-stop night and day for 13 days after its construction until the fighting ceased at the mountain top.
He was employed by Anglo Sweet Feed Mill, then Murphy Miller/Hon Furniture Company until age 65, and as a riding mower operator at Rosehill and Elmwood Cemeteries until the age of 84.
He was a Trustee for Parrish Avenue Baptist Church for many years and was a member of Lewis Lane Baptist Church at the time of his death. For many years as he and his wife, Lillian, walked the Greenbelt Park for exercise, he picked up trash and litter along the way. Even in his late 80's he had to be restrained from climbing the fences to remove litter that had been tossed or blown out of his reach along the path.
He was known for living a life full of energy, stamina, strength and good health. He thrived on hard work. Even in the last year of his life as he suffered a series of respiratory illnesses, he endured pain and frailty with composure and grace. Between health setbacks under the loving and tender care of the staff at Dogwood Retreat, he recovered sufficiently to delight in outings escorted by the Manager of his assisted living facility and his personal caregiver, Bruce Snodgrass. Taking long drives through the countryside, he beamed with enjoyment at watching crops growing and being harvested, tobacco being cut, and farm animals grazing. From the assisted living's golf cart, he was able to take long rides through the neighborhood stopping to chat with neighbors, visit with miniature horses that came to the fence to visit with him, and even riding the cart into an auto repair shop where he watched the mechanics as they serviced cars high aloft on lifts.
His lifelong passion was a fascination with automobiles. He loved trading cars, modifying them, and keeping them immaculately clean. His favorite automobile was the Chevy S-10 pickup truck. He was so well known at many car lots in town that he has been dubbed "Owensboro's Oldest Living Teenager". Only 2 weeks after being dismissed from the hospital in August, he was able to ride in a golf cart to view about 500 cars at the Car Show at Diamond Lakes, such was his love of cars.
He is survived by two daughters and a son, Brenda Little of Hartford, KY, Peggy Pennington of Evansville, IN, and Jerry Bailey of Owensboro, by four grandchildren, Penelope Pennington, Geoffrey Little, Mark Bailey and Matthew Bailey, as well as 5 great grandchildren.
The family will receive visitors at Providence United Methodist Church from noon until 2 PM on Tuesday September 27th. The church is located near Philpot, KY on Jack Hinton Road. A funeral service will be held at 2 PM with Dr. Larry Maddox officiating followed by burial in the Bailey family lot at the church cemetery beside his wife whose body is being reinterred there. Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory is handling arrangements.
Having come of age during the Great Depression, he had enormous compassion for the poor and homeless. Therefore, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial tributes be made to The Boulware Center at 731 Hall Street in Owensboro, KY 42301.

Online condolences may be left at www.glennfuneral home.com.