John Patrick Bailey Jr.

John Patrick Bailey Jr. “John Pat” passed away March 20,2015. John Pat was born November 26, 1935 in Hartsville, South Carolina to John Patrick Bailey, Sr. & Noisettia Brown (Sweeny). John’s biological father passed while he was a small child and his mother married Mr. Eugene Brown who raised John Pat.

In his early years, John married Clinelle Whitaker and had 8 children and joined the US Army. He was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist congregation & he dedicated 21 years of honorable service to his country, bravely fighting in Vietnam and spending time overseas in Korea and Germany. Not only did he fight but he served the hungry mouths of many soldiers as a cook\baker. After retiring from the US Army, with the passion for cooking and excellence in food service, John worked as an Executive Chef while living in Killeen, TX. In 1987, John married Erma Jean Brown in Austin, TX. John then went to work at White Swan Food Service and because of coronary artery disease; John underwent a successful quadruple coronary bypass graft. He fully recovered and in 1988, decided to make contributions for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice System in the capacity of a Food Service Captain at prison units in Tennessee Colony and Woodville, TX. He retired from TDCJ and then went on to work for a private prison system, Wackenhut Corrections in South Bay, California in 1998. John Pat began to show early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. With a determined spirit and hard work ethic, he didn’t let that hold him back from life. He and Erma decided to move to Belleview, FL to assist his elderly father, whose health was declining at the time. Both John and his wife worked extremely hard at rebuilding/remodeling an old house that lay vacant for some time, which became their home. John joined the Belleview Church of Christ while living in Belleview, FL and stayed very active in helping & praying for others. After John’s beloved father (Eugene Brown) passed away in 2006, he and Emma moved back to TX to be closer to family. He joined Southside Church of Christ in Killeen, TX. John and Erma moved to Grand Prairie, TX where they joined Crossroads Christian Church. John continued to pray, read his bible daily, and attend church services regularly. John demonstrated his faith in Christ through his profession of his faith, his service & giving to others and in his humble prayer life. All he would talk about is Jesus Christ! In his journals, he would note his faith and love for God daily. As John's health severely declined due to Alzheimer's, Erma, a registered nurse for over 30 years, took compassionate and loving care of him in their home until her own health issues along with caregiver burnout prevented her from being able to take care of him at home. John was moved to the VA Hospital's Inpatient Nursing Home in Dallas, TX. Even through his decline in mental status, John still loved to listen to Christian music and hear about the Lord. His eyes would light up whenever you played his favorite song,”Awesome God”! Eventually, John became a member of the Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church along with his loving wife. Ministers of his church would visit & pray with him consistently. John was also a member of the Disabled American Veterans. John is preceded in death by his father John Bailey I, mother Noisettia Brown (Sweeny), step-father Deacon Eugene Brown and sister Raydonia Jordon. John is survived by his wife Erma J. Bailey (Cedar Hill, TX) of 28 years; children-Phyllis Jones(Columbia, SC), John Pat Bailey III(Columbia, SC),Richard W. Bailey(San Antonio,TX),Ezra B. Bailey( San Antonio, TX), Bonnie J. Bailey Evangelist(Lancaster, MA) Millicent Bailey Smith (Columbia, South Carolina), Carlton D. Bailey(Lancaster, Massachusetts), and Victor L. Bailey(San Antonio, TX); Oscar L. Harrison II( Orange County, CA), and Nicole Newman ( Dallas, TX), 22 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, nieces/nephews, and many, many friends and family.

John Patrick Bailey Jr. may not be present with us but is present with the Lord!