Walter Ronald Bailey

Walter Ronald Bailey, 85, of Lexington, died in hospice care on the early morning of August 27, 2024. Walt was born in Atlanta, Georgia on October 4, 1938, the son of Pauline Vicey Evans and John Paul Bailey. His early years were challenging, beginning with the death of his father, who was killed in action as a Private First Class in the US Army in North Africa on February 7, 1944.

Walt was primarily reared by his aunt and uncle, Sara and Temple Smith, and his grandparents, Jenny Quillan Jones and John Pinckney Bailey.

He graduated from Avondale High School, and earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology and his M.Ed. in Counseling at the University of Georgia in Athens. He completed his Ph.D. in 1968 in Counseling in Higher Education at The Ohio State University.

After serving as the Dean of Men at Macon Junior College, Dr. Bailey moved to South Carolina in 1970, where he built an almost thirty year career in the Department of Educational Psychology in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. In addition to his teaching duties, he was an Area Head for six years in Career Development, and Coordinator of Counselor Education. He was one of the youngest faculty in the history of the department to achieve tenure, recognized for his scholarship, service, and his instrumental role in securing the department’s accreditation. He was a gifted educator in masters and doctoral programs, and his research and publications in career guidance and development shaped those fields nationwide. He retired in 1999, bestowed with the status of Distinguished Professor Emeritus.

In addition to his academic career, Walt was a licensed professional counselor and a counseling psychologist, with a successful private practice. He valued his role as a mentor and continued to support former students throughout their careers.

At the time of his death, Walt was revising a book on how to find the gifts in adversity, a topic he not only wrote about, but lived fully. He had a great capacity to take personal adversity and reframe his experience in support of others’ challenges. After a battle with lymphoma nearly cost him his life in 1999, he began to volunteer for the American Cancer Society as a resource for those facing similar conditions. Even in the last month of his life, from his hospital bed, he counseled someone who had been newly diagnosed with cancer.

Walt served in the US Army and the Army Reserves, and he participated in and chaired multiple civic clubs, serving as President of a Columbia chapter of the Civitans, as he believed that it was important to serve his community in as many ways as he could.

Walt was an excellent listener and a lover of people’s stories. He had an open mind and he encouraged people to find their path with heart and follow it. He was a devoted father and grandfather. He loved fly fishing, cooking (especially on the grill!), reading, writing, and traveling. In the years after his retirement, he lived in Asheville and in Lexington.

Walt is sorely missed, and survived by his beloved partner and sweetheart of twenty three years, Sandy Kaye Agee, his daughters of whom he was incredibly proud, Anne Bailey Kelly Tromsness (Jayce) and Janey Bailey Colmorgan (Alex), Sandy’s sons Adam Gee and Micah Huey, his sister Carrie Dishon (Dave), his grandchildren John Paul Samuel Colmorgan and Rae Evelene Tromsness. He is also survived by Mike and Sharon Agee, whom he loves as family, the mother of his children, Alice Anne Gamble Bailey Farley, Rae’s partner Casey Melcher, and former sister-in-law Beth McLeod (Wes).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests consideration of donations to Amedysis Hospice Care,1900 Sunset Blvd Suite 103, West Columbia, SC 29169 and Mission Lexington, 216 Harmon St, Lexington, SC 29072.

Visitation will be held at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home at 503 N. Lake Drive in Lexington on Saturday, September 7, 2024 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.