George Dennis Bailey

George Dennis Bailey knew hardship, but he also knew what it meant to live a good life. On Saturday, August 22, 2026, George said goodbye to his good, hard-earned time on Earth and went home to be with our Heavenly Father.

George was born to Roland G. and Mary Bell Bailey on August 17, 1943 in Kaufman, Texas, and spent his early childhood in the country, where his family lived modestly in a small two-bedroom house. They had little in the way of material comforts, but George’s childhood was rich with family, adventure and the kind of resourcefulness that would remain with him throughout his life. He and his siblings spent their days tending animals, roaming the property, playing marbles and horseshoes, and finding their own ways to have fun.

In 1954, the Bailey family moved to Star Brand Ranch, a place George and his siblings would remember fondly for the rest of their lives. Compared with their first home, their new three-bedroom home felt like a luxury. It had running water and an indoor bathroom, and the children joked years later that they thought they were rich. Star Brand gave them room to grow, work and enjoy a little more freedom, and it became the setting for many of George’s most formative years.

That same year, George became seriously ill. What doctors first believed was rheumatic fever continued to worsen over the summer until he began stumbling, falling and eventually lost the ability to walk. His parents took him to Parkland Hospital, where they learned that George had polio. He would spend nearly a year away from home, including approximately nine months in an iron lung, and miss an entire year of school.

When George finally returned home, much had changed. Polio left him with physical limitations that would remain with him for the rest of his life. There were moments of frustration as he learned what he could no longer do in the same way, but George was never content to simply accept that something was beyond him. George learned to adapt, to rely on himself and to keep going even when things were difficult. He rarely asked for help unless he truly needed it, and over time he built a life far larger than the limitations polio had placed before him.

As George grew older, life began to open up in new ways. While he was away at college, he met Sharon, the woman who would become his wife and the love of his life. The two met after a Friday night at the movies on the Kaufman square. What began with George holding Sharon’s hand soon grew into letters back and forth, weekend visits whenever he came home from school, and, eventually, plans for a life together. The two married on January 28, 1967, beginning a life together that would span nearly six decades.

After marrying Sharon and completing his degree at East Texas State University, George began a career with the Texas Rehabilitation Commission. His work centered on helping people with disabilities pursue education, obtain needed equipment and access opportunities that could help them live more independently. George spent more than two decades helping others face some of the same kinds of obstacles he had learned to navigate throughout his own life.

George and Sharon welcomed their son, Dennis in 1967, followed by their daughter, Renee, in 1971. George was a steady example for both of his children. Dennis and Renee grew up with a father who worked hard, kept his word, helped others when he could and refused to let hardship dictate the kind of life he would have.

As Dennis and Renee built families of their own, George became Papa to Emmalee, Carlie, Rylee and Madison. They spent countless afternoons there after school and long summer days together, growing up with Papa as a constant presence in their lives. Much of that time was simple and familiar, sharing meals, watching television, riding along on errands or just being together at the house. Years later, George became a great-grandfather when Carlie welcomed her children, Maggie and Waylon, bringing another generation into the family he loved so deeply.

George loved the outdoors and rarely needed much convincing to go hunting or fishing. Trips to the deer lease became a regular part of his life and eventually something he shared with his children and grandchildren. He could spend hours sitting in a deer stand, sometimes just as content to watch the animals as he was to hunt them. George also loved to fish as it also gave him time outdoors with people he loved.

He and Sharon also loved to travel. Over the years, they took road trips across the country, returned often to Ruidoso, and went on numerous cruises with family and friends. Alaska was a particular favorite, and they made the trip more than once.

Closer to home, George enjoyed woodworking and spending time in his shop. Every Wednesday afternoon, his buddies would gather there for their “Board Meetings.” Those Wednesday afternoons became a standing appointment and one of the simple routines George looked forward to each week.

George also enjoyed the Eagles, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, and a cold Dr Pepper. He loved Pretty Woman and Erin Brockovich, revealing a fondness for Julia Roberts that amused his family. He could be stubborn and set in his ways, and once George had decided he was not going to do something, there was usually little point in trying to change his mind. He also had a dry sense of humor and an ornery streak that stayed with him throughout his life.

Above all, George was someone people could count on. He was generous with what he had, willing to help when someone needed it and happiest when family and friends were close by. His home was often open to others, and over the years more than a few relatives and friends found a place to stay there when they needed one.

George’s life was not always easy, but it was full. It was filled with Sharon, with family, with work that mattered to him, with hunting trips and fishing stories, cruises and road trips, Wednesday afternoons in the shop, grandchildren underfoot and generations of people who knew they could depend on him. He worked hard for the life he had, enjoyed it deeply and, by his own measure, had just about everything he could have wanted.

George is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Sharon Hargrove Bailey; his children Dennis Bailey and his wife Melanie of Crandall, TX and Renee Fox and her partner Brady Bardin of Kaufman, TX; his beloved grandchildren Madison Fox and his wife Ashlea, Carlie Thomas and her husband Joey, Rylee Belle Bailey, and Emmalee Bailey; his greatgrandchildren Waylon and Maggie Jo Thomas; and his surviving sibling Mary Jean Psencik.

George is preceded in death by his siblings Katherine Dianne Bailey, James Vance Bailey, and Jerry “Cotton” Lynn Bailey; and his parents Roland G. and Mary Bell Bailey.

Those wishing to honor George’s memory are invited to make a donation to Calvary Baptist Church in lieu of flowers by mailing a check to:

Calvary Baptist Church

1609 Rand Rd

Kaufman, TX 75142