Radcliffe O Bailey Sr.'s Obituary
Radcliffe O. Bailey, Sr., 85, passed away peacefully at his Atlanta, Georgia home on Dec. 30, 2023, surrounded by family. The son of the late Hazel C. and Roy K. Bailey, Radcliffe Sr. was born and lived in Hopewell Township, New Jersey. Mr. Bailey lived a full life defined by hard work and dedication to family. It was in New Jersey where he spent his younger years working on his family’s asparagus farm; work he continued until he graduated Bridgeton High School in 1956. After graduation, Mr. Bailey joined the U.S. Navy serving four years as Boiler Mate Third Class (BT3). In 1960, Mr. Bailey would continue his life in New Jersey where he met and married his beautiful wife Brenda in 1964.
Mr. Bailey, along with his siblings, each inherited a portion of the family land where he used to work as a child. It was there where he built a home for his bride. With the help of his brother John and a few other family member and friends, Mr. Bailey constructed -- from the ground up -- a two-story home in Bridgeton where his sons, the late Radcliffe O. Jr. and Roy A. Bailey were born. Mr. Bailey’s siblings also built homes on the family land which affectionately became known as “Bailey-Ville.”
In 1972, Mr. Bailey’s family of four moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he lived for 51 years. Mrs. Bailey was a beloved teacher for the Vineland and Atlanta Public Schools systems until her retirement in 2000, and Mr. Bailey worked at the General Motor Automotive Factory before spending more than 28 years as a locomotive engineer for Norfolk Southern. When not traveling through the Southeast by rail, he spent his downtime enjoying his family, going hunting, saltwater fishing off the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Florida, restoring vintage Volkswagens, Mercedes and muscle cars or riding his one of his BSA, Honda or Harley-Davidson motorcycles down to Daytona Beach.
Known for his quick wit and great sense of humor, Mr. Bailey always had a way of making everyone laugh. “Raddy was always the life of party wherever he went,” said Mrs. Bailey. He enjoyed good seafood, and his favorite meal was deep fried crabs and coleslaw. Mr. Bailey walked in the way of faith and a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church in Atlanta.
Surviving him to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 59 years, Brenda (Coles); son, Roy A. Bailey; grandchildren, Bria Bailey, Olivia Bailey, Joi Bailey and Radcliffe Coles Bailey; brother, John Bailey (the late Evelyn); nephews, John Bailey, Jr. (Marie), Gary Bailey (Norma), Martin Bailey; brother-in-law, Deacon William Johnson, Sr. and his sons, William Johnson, Jr., Larry Johnson and Terence Johnson (Danna); brother-in-law Earl Randolph (Christine) and his sons Darrell Randolph (the late Kevin Randolph), and Earl’s daughter Serena Randolph-Wynder (Gary); and brother-in-law Alfred Lockett and his son Eric Lockett (Ayshai).
Mr. Bailey was predeceased in death by his son, Radcliffe O. Bailey, Jr.; and his sisters, Joyce Randolph, Sandra Johnson and Owney Bailey.
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