Thomas "Tom" Bailey

Thomas Michael Bailey, age 67, died at his home in Coldwater, MS on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, after a year long battle with cancer. Born in Memphis, TN on January 4, 1949, he was raised by Walter William and Thelma Fowler Bailey in Bluff City TN. He attended East Tennessee State College in Johnson City, TN until he was drafted in 1968 and joined the US Navy where he served as a Flight Engineer. His tour of duty included Greece and Iceland. In 1971 he married Janice Rigdon, and to this union they were blessed with two children, Michael William and Shannon Elizabeth. During and after his military service he completed his Associates Degree in Marketing and Management. He began his building career in St. Simons Island, FL and eventually moved on to the greater Atlanta, GA area. His career ranged from commercial construction, sitework, directional drilling, a diesel repair shop and operating seven assisted care homes. In 1991 he moved to Fayetteville, AR where he met and later married Paula Neumayr. She was his banker and he was her first big construction loan. Together they worked and traveled including over two years spent in the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina setting up FEMA trailers, operating a mobile kitchen he built and operating an electrical and remodeling company. Tom could build anything he set his mind to. It might come to him in a dream in the middle of the night, but he could build it. He was a great mentor and entrepreneur, and was always willing to teach his skills. His Atlanta crew called him Big Daddy. Although most of his time spent was working and building, he did enjoy hunting, fishing and motorcycle riding. He also enjoyed cooking and smoking meat and had his hand in the operations of restaurants. Tom loved life and his family and friends and always took care of them to the best of his ability. Tom is survived by his wife Paula, son Michael and his wife Cynthia (Brown) Bailey of Alma, AR, daughter Shannon and her husband Andy Gooch of Kingsland, GA and his step-daughter Ann Gibson Hill of Ball Ground, GA; grandchildren Ellyn Rose Bailey, Grady Thomas Bailey, Gavin Bailey, and Emma Gooch, and step-grandchildren Anson Baughcum and Aaron Baughcum. Tom was preceded in death by his parents. Memorial contributions may be sent to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN. Ray-Nowell Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.