Roberto "Bob" Bailon

Roberto "Bob" Bailon, U. S. Army Ret., of Belton died Monday, January 14, 2008 at his residence after a long and valiant battle with cancer. A celebration of his life will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 16, at the First Baptist Church in Salado with Dr. Leroy Kemp officiating. Other honors will follow at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen at 2:00 p.m. Bob was born in El Paso, Texas, on May 30, 1938. He graduated from Bowie High School in 1956, subsequently earning a BA and Masters Degree from Columbia Pacific University, and was a Doctoral candidate at the time of his death. Bob joined the U.S. Army in August 1956. He served in a variety of schools, Air Defense, Railroad Transportation, Psychological Operations, and Special Forces units. He retired from the Army in 1976 from an assignment as Sergeant Major of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 12th Special Forces Group (Airborne). His Military decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Reserve Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Service Medal with Hour Glass Device, and the Presidential Unit Citation. Bob also joined Five Points Lodge No. 1137, AF & AM in El Paso in 1965, and later was a member of the Austin and Round Rock Consistory and Shrine bodies. Bob has been a member of numerous foundations and boards during his lifetime, including Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. At the time of his death, he was the Assisting Presiding Officer of the Brazos River Authority Board of Directors, Director of the Special Forces Association, Killeen, and Parliamentarian of the Republican Party of Bell County. He was preceded in death by his parents, Magdalena Bailon and Agustin Bailon. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, of Belton; daughter, Julie Jordan, her husband, Virgil, and grandchild, Kyle, of College Station; son, Matt Harris, his wife, Martha, and grandchildren, Tyler (U.S. Army, Kenya Africa), Brent, Robyn, Craig & Abigale, of Aubrey; daughter, Candace Parham, her husband, Daran, and grandchildren, Megan and Lane, of Tulsa, OK; daughter, Shannon Lackey, her husband, Kelsey, and grandchildren, Leightin and Makayla, of Katy; daughter, Michelle Escobar and grandchildren, Jacob (a freshman at Texas A&M), Maryssa and Robert, of El Paso; daughter, Denise Bailon and grandchildren, Gary and Stephanie, of El Paso; and granddaughter, Sabrina Boley, her husband, Jason, and great-grandchild, Conner, of Temple. He is also survived by sister, Consuelo Villarreal; brother, Jose Bailon; and sister, Dolores Reza, her husband, Victor, all of El Paso and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that remembrances be made to the St. Jude Children's Hospital, Shriners Hospital for Children or Gideons International.