Charles Albert Bailey

Charles was born in Englewood, KS, on February 8th, 1926, and was the eldest of four children born to Lloyd and Amanda Bailey. At the age of nine, Charles moved with his family to Paonia, CO, where his parents worked on a ranch. Charles and his family moved to an area called the Hunter district between Grand Junction and Fruita when he was 11 years old. Charles spent the rest of his childhood there. As a youth, Charles spent time irrigating crops, working in fields with a team of horses, husking corn, pitching hay, milking cows and hoeing weeds. Charles had numerous 4-H projects that included raising Hereford steers, Berkshire hogs and sheep. Charles won two trips to the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo, CO.

Charles attended the Hunter School located near 21 Road and J Road and then Fruita Union High School. Charles graduated from high school in 1944. With the start of World War II and the nation calling for his service, Charles joined the Navy in January, 1944, just before his 18th birthday. Charles headed off to boot camp in Farragut, ID, on May 30th, 1944. After boot camp, Charles was sent to Treasure Island for training. On November 8th, 1944, the USS Natrona was launched and Charles went aboard and joined his Navy brothers as they headed off to war in the Pacific Theater. As WW II ended, Charles was discharged on May 6th, 1946, and returned home.

Charles started working at his uncle's automobile dealership in Dalhart, TX, in 1948. It was there that Charles met and eventually married Willie Marie Gallett on June 12th, 1949. They spent 63 years together. Marie passed away on June 25th, 2012. This left a big hole in his life.

Charles worked for the United States Postal Service in both Grand Junction, CO, and Clifton, CO, for the rest of his career and retired in February, 1983. Charles loved hunting, fishing, camping, traveling and gardening. Charles became quite the "flower guy" in his later years. If he noticed a bare spot in the garden, he would plant something!

Charles was a God-fearing Christian man and had been a member of a number of Baptist churches in the Grand Valley over six decades including Faith Baptist, Galilee Baptist, Liberty Baptist and Pear Park Baptist Church. Charles stayed active in church right up until his health prevented it. He loved his church families.

Charles is preceded in death by his wife, Willie Marie Bailey (Gallett) in 2012; sister, Leta Mae Lockwood in 2011; mother, Amanda Mae Bailey (Elliott) in 1979; father, Lloyd Frank Bailey in 1975 and brother, John Arthur Bailey in 1972. Charles is survived by his four children including daughter, Terry Gail Schafer in Tulsa, OK; daughter, Paula Jayne Welch (Jim) in Montrose, CO, and identical-twin sons, Donald Frank Bailey (Virginia) and Ronald Fred Bailey (Norma) who both live in Grand Junction, CO. Charles is also survived by his one younger brother, Frank Lee Bailey, from Grand Junction. Charles had 11 grand-children and 19 great-grand-children scattered around Colorado, Rhode Island, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. Charles enjoyed them greatly whenever he was around them.

Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2016, at 1:30 p.m. at Martin Mortuary in Grand Junction, CO. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens in Grand Junction, CO.

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Published in The Daily Sentinel on Jan. 10, 2016

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