Grover Jackson Bailey Sr., 88, of Pensacola, passed away June 9, 2014 at Gulf Breeze Hospital.
He was born Feb. 21, 1926 to Andrew Jackson Bailey and Louise Powell Bailey in Pensacola.
He graduated from Tate High School in June, 1944. He then spent 62 years in the wholesale tomato business in Pensacola, and later also raised cattle in Robertsdale.
He was a longtime member of Gateway Church of Christ.
To him family and friends were treasures. He believed in hard work and honesty as the keys to success in life.
He was well known for his little stories and witticisms, which usually made people laugh. He had a very sharp mind.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and his first wife, Ethel “Freddie” Bailey, who died in 1998.
He is survived by his wife, Sue Gimbel Bailey; daughter, Brenda Bailey Seymour (Mike); son, Grover Jackson Bailey Jr. (Pam); grandchildren, Michael Seymour (Samantha), Christopher Seymour (Jaime), Stephanie Burge (Grey), Allison Tarrant (Lang), Jaclyn Hines (Richard) and Jackson Bailey; great-grandchildren, Jack Seymour, Isabelle Seymour, Ella Seymour, Everitt Seymour, Sydney Burge, Ben Burge, Zach Burge, Baylin Mann, Grant Graves, Adaire Tarrant, Lang Tarrant Jr., Reagan Hines and Ashlyn Hines; his stepchildren, Charles Gimbel (Kathy), Fred Gimbel (CJ) and Gayle Gilstrap (Trey); step-grandchildren, Julie Paden (Derek), Tiffy Gimbel, Stacy Bidal (Phil), Laurie O’Brien (John), Tyler Gilstrap and Justin Gilstrap; step-great-grandchildren, Ritchie Paden and Luke Bidal; and his siblings, Jan Busbee, Bea Rivers, Alma Guedry, Ben Bailey (June), Wayne Bailey, Barbara Bailey, Myrtle Bailey and Linda Snow (Bob).
Visitation will be held from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, June 13, 2014 at First Pentecostal Church for family, and 6-8 p.m. for friends.
Funeral services will be Saturday, June 14, 2014, at noon, at First Pentecostal Church, with graveside service at 2 p.m. at Bayview Cemetery.
The Rev. Brian Kinsey, Harold Mobley and the Rev. Paul Welch will officiate.
Pallbearers will be Michael Seymour, Christopher Seymour, Jackson Bailey, Grey Burge, Richard Hines and Lang Tarrant.
Honorary pallbearers will be Ben Bailey, Wayne Bailey, Otto Brill, Dr. Frank Buchanan, Willie Morgan, Julian Godwin, Charles Coppock, Herbert Mosley, Ralph Urbaniak and Ben Witham.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting tax-deductible contributions be made to www.mountainchild.org for the Seymour family. This is for Grover’s grandson, Michael Seymour and his family, who are moving to Nepal July 9 to do volunteer humanitarian work for the next several years.
The family would like to express their gratitude for the love and care shown him by his aides at The Blake (Dawn Dawson, Sarah Shields and Takiyyak Fountain). The staff at TLC Rehab also was an excellent source of help and inspiration to and for him, particularly Traci Harris and Judy Kuhn.
Arrangements by Faith Chapel Funeral Home South, Pensacola.
You may express your condolences online at www.fcfhs.com.
