Edmond Joseph "Joe" Bailey
Edmond Joseph "Joe" Bailey, 94, of Hermiston, died Saturday, Dec. 9, 2000, at Good Samaritan Center in Hermiston.
Disposition was by cremation. A memorial celebration of life gathering will be held later at Pineville, Mo., where he will be buried.
Mr. Bailey, the eldest son of Jim and Belle Bailey, was born Sept. 21, 1906, at Joplin, Mo. and attended school there.
In June 1930, he married Ellen Mathis at Pineville, Mo. She died in 1992.
Mr. Bailey spent most of his working life in McDonald County, Mo. He had worked as a plumber and a farmer.
He enjoyed visiting with friends and caring for his dogs. He had a great memory and loved to share the names of the presidents from the first to the last. He enjoyed writing poems, and sold his first poem when he was nine years old, receiving a dollar for it. He would reminisce of the days when he boxed at Joplin as a young man, and of his family connections to Jesse James.
He became a Christian when he was 87 years old and was baptized in "Sugar Creek". He read his Bible daily until he was no longer able to see to read.
Mr. Bailey came to live in Hermiston in 1997 to be with family there.
Survivors include the following relatives: Clark and Luetta Dickey of Hermiston, Bernice Smith and Jean Mathis, Jim Mathis and Regina Mathis, and Linda Johnson, all of Pineville, Mo., Jim Dickey and Judy Dickey of Pendleton, Tom and Marylu Dickey of Kennewick, Wash.; Verna Bennett of Vallejo, Calif.; Carma Wilson of Eureka, Kan., Kay Thompson of Good, Mo.; Betty Bailey of Moses Lake, Wash., and Jimmy Bailey of Seattle. A brother, Richard, also preceded him in death.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in charge of arrangements.
East Oregonian 12/15/00