Joseph Bailey

Joseph Bailey, Irish Joe, 89, of Warren died Sunday September 17, 2006 at his home, surrounded by family. He was born December 11, 1916 in Ballybrittas, Ireland to Joseph and Margaret (Kavanagh) Bailey. Joe was one of 11 children. He spent his youth in Ireland, working on various family farms; farming, working with sheep, cattle, and his favorite - horses. He also served in the Irish Army. At the age of 32 he immigrated to America by boat, a two-week trip. It was a rough trip and he never really liked boats after that. Joe lived with his sister Betty and her husband Tivo Erickson after arriving in the States, turning a large part of their yard into a garden. He met his lovely wife Margaret at the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, an Irish club in Warren. They married in the fall of 1952 and had four children, Peggy, Joey (deceased), Mary, and Ann Marie. Joe worked in various positions, ultimately settling at Ford Motor Company as a job setter. A very hard worker, he spent 30 years at Ford, working the midnight shift, his favorite, seven nights a week. He retired in 1979. Joe preferred to be either at home or at work, with not much interest in leisure activities. Sorry Jerry Sheehan, he wasnt much of a golfer. Joe had a good sense of humor and enjoyed telling tales, albeit somewhat embellished at times. His favorite hobbies were vegetable gardening, growing flowers, and helping out neighbors and friends with their own garden endeavors, often offering advice, tilling the ground, and helping to plant or prune. He also enjoyed building birdhouses, keeping up to date on the lives of his four grandsons, Sean, Joseph, Sullivan, and Connor, and as of late, following Connors football team, the Cincinnati Bearcats. He also loved visits from Erica Brownlee, who he and Margaret had watched since she was a baby. Visitation for Joseph will be Wednesday from 5 to 9 pm and Thursday 1 to 9 pm at the D.S. Temrowski & Sons Funeral Home, 30009 Hoover at Common (12 Mile). There will be a rosary Thursday evening at 7:00. Joseph will be in state 10:00 am until time of Mass 10:30 am at St. Sylvester Catholic Church in Warren.