He was a graduate of Olney High School where he played football and was student council president for 2 years. He was a proud member of the Olney Boy Scout troop where he learned hard work and community service. He made his family and community proud by earning the rank of Eagle Scout which was presented to him in Austin at the Capitol by the Governor.
Tony attended the University of Texas at Austin. Along with his studies, he worked in the kitchen preparing and serving meals to the student body. This is where his lifelong love of the Longhorns was cemented. On a trip home to Olney, he met and fell in love with a high school girl named Patsy Burcham. Tony and Pat were married April 1, 1961 making them forever April fool's!
Tony went to work for Walker Neer in Wichita Falls as a mechanical draftsman. His specialty was designing oil rigs. A few years later, he accepted a job at Texas Instruments and moved the family to Dallas, Texas. In 1969, he was transferred to Austin, Texas. While in Austin, he enjoyed bowling, hunting, and fishing. He became a member of the TI Bass Club. There were many camping trips with his family to compete in the monthly bass fishing tournaments. By this time, Pat had become a Girl Scout leader and his children were all scouts.
After retiring from TI, he worked for Comp U Add and finally Active Power until his health declined.
He is preceded in death by his parents Denny and Vera Bailey, his sister Dorothy Nicholson, and his son Denny Allan Bailey.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years Pat (Burcham) Bailey, his daughter Toni Ann Bailey, his sons Toby Randall Bailey and his wife Shawn (Nixon) Bailey and Tim Andrew Bailey, sisters Peggy (Bailey) Scott and Ramona (Bailey) Thomas. His grandchildren Brandon Ibanez, Ashley Bailey, Troy Bailey, Shayla Bailey, Michael Bailey, Nicholas Bailey, and Natalie Bailey. He has 3 great-grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family members and close friends.
A funeral service will be conducted at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home at 10:00 a.m., Saturday December 8, 2018.
