Don Bailey

Don E. Bailey, age 89, of rural Portland passed away Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019, at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie.

He was born in Randolph County on Jan. 11, 1930, the son of Chester and Lonvel (Petro) Bailey. He was married Dec. 5, 1953, to Elma Louise Brown and she passed away on Oct. 5, 2006.

He served with the U.S. Army for four years and the U.S. Navy for 18 years. He was on the USS Pueblo, which was captured by the North Koreans, and spent 11 months in a POW camp in 1968. He was retired from General Telephone and was an ABC bus driver and truck driver. He was a member of American Legion Post 507 of Ridgeville, V.F.W in Union City and D.A.V.

Surviving are two sons, Chester Bailey (wife: Linda) of Indianapolis and John Bailey (wife: Lori) of Portland; two daughters, Linda Smith (husband: Robert) of Portland and Bonnie Bailey (fiancé: Chad Timmerman) of Portland; one brother, David Bailey of Carmel; eight grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by four brothers and four sisters.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday in the Baird-Freeman Funeral Home with Pastor Paul VanCise presiding. Burial with military graveside rites will follow in the Gardens of Memory Cemetery in Muncie. Visitation will be Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday prior to the services.

Memorials can be made to the Jay County Cancer Society or Choice of the donor.

Condolences may be expressed at bairdfreeman.com.