James Rollins Bailey

James R. Bailey (1938-2023) Jim passed away on March 13th, 2023. He was 85. Born in the far northwest corner of the state town of Warren, Pennsylvania, on New Year’s Day of 1938, Jim moved often a young child as his father, Bill, chased jobs In the oil industry. Finally, the family moved to Texas, near were his mother, Fay, grew up in San Antonio. He graduated from high school in 1956 and received his engineering degree from the University of Texas in 1961. He married his “senior partner” after knowing the former Peggy Ann Stallings for only four months later that year. They have been together for nearly 62 years. After completing his US Army ROTC commitment in 1963, Jim backed Peg as she received her degree from TCU in 1964. Peg then supported Jim as he pursued and achieved his MSEE at SMU during 1965. In 1966, they both worked on the NASA Apollo moon project. In 1968, Jim became one of the “Wizards of Langley” when he joined the famous CIA group that developed very sophisticated spy systems for the CIA. He later, starting in 1981, helped the USAF staff in Los Angeles do the same thing. When he left the Agency in 1992, he had achieved SIS rank-roughly that of a USAF B/General. After retiring, Peg and Jim resided in both Texas and other spots in California. On a whim, they visited Sun Lakes in Banning, CA in the summer of 2002 and quickly decided to buy. Moving in on Labor Day that year, they have been in the community for over 20 years. Both have had many volunteer jobs, both within and outside Sun Lakes. After a second career as a college tutor and instructor, Jim had a third career as a Record Gazette newspaper columnist, publishing over one hundred commentaries from 2015 until 2022 when his poor health intervened. Jim is to be buried in the Riverside National Cemetery in California with full military honors. He leaves Peg, his son, Daniel, his daughter, Elaine Marshall, two granddaughters and a grandson. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.weaver-mortuary.com for the Bailey family.