Carolynn Gay Bailey, 79, of Beaumont, passed away at her home on Friday, September 4, 2015. Born in Port Arthur on October 18, 1935, to Carrie Thelma Colleps Gay and Mark Thomas Gay, Carolynn attended Kansas State College in Manhattan, Kansas, and Lamar State College in Beaumont. She was a schoolteacher for more than 30 years and remained actively involved in Delta Kappa Gamma into retirement. Carolynn shared a passion for travel with her beloved husband, David Newton Bailey, with whom she visited more than 50 countries, nearly every U.S. state, and Kyle Field on countless occasions to watch the Fightin’ Texas Aggies play football. A loving and generous matriarch, Carolynn was a style-setter, a tradition-keeper, and an eternal optimist.
Carolynn is survived by four adoring daughters and sons-in-law: Julie Ann Bailey Radley and her husband, Donald, of Sour Lake; Gay Bailey Hill and her husband, Gary, of Beaumont; Julie Patricia Bailey Golias and her husband, Mark, of Beaumont; and Laura Bailey Bridges and her husband, James, of Beaumont.
Carolynn made each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren feel uniquely loved, and she taught them about the world through travel: Ashley Radley Harvey and her husband, Derek, and children Delaney and Ryland, of Sour Lake; Whitney Radley and her husband, Bradley Kerl, of Houston; Gary "Coppy" Hill, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Bailey Radley, of Houston; Carrie Hill Zihlman and her husband, Kurt, and daughter Ellie, of Beaumont; Hannah Radley, of Houston; Callie Hill, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Brant Burns, of College Station; Dustin Burns, of Natchitoches, Louisiana; and Caroline Bridges, Carly Burns, and Grace Bridges, all of Beaumont. She also leaves behind her sister-in-law, Joyce Walker Gay; her brother-in-law, Melvin Jackson Bailey; and her lifelong best friend, Patricia Garrison Bowling, and their families.
She is preceded in death by her husband; her parents; and her brother, Charles Newton Gay.
A gathering of Carolynn’s family and friends will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, 2015, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. Her funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 10, 2015, at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 1350 North 23rd Street, Beaumont, with interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Association of Former Students for the David N. ’56 and Carolynn Bailey Aggie Ring Scholarship. Donations can be made online at https://tx.ag/givering or by sending a check payable to the The Association of Former Students, 505 George Bush Drive, College Station, Texas 77840.
