John P. Bailey OBITUARY
BAILEY, JOHN P., 83, of Winter Park, FL, died February 3, 2008. Jack is best known for being the beloved husband of 60 years to Margaret A. (Peggy) Bailey, the adored and respected father of seven children – Carol Faas (Mike) and Chip, Craig (Lynn), Brian, Keith (Pat), Merrell (Ralph Reichard), and Dwight Bailey – and the revered grandfather of seven. Born in Jersey City, NJ, Jack was drafted into World War II with his St. Peter’s Prep graduating classmates of 1943. A Golden Gloves champion boxer, handsome blue-eyed, blonde-haired Jack proved to be a superb driver and sharpshooter. He was assigned to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces, serving his country as driver and bodyguard to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. He lived and traveled with General Eisenhower on Hitler’s former train, and guarded Prime Minister Churchill when he visited. He protected Generals Eisenhower and Bradley, as well as British General Montgomery, when, two days after the invasion into Normandy, the Generals headed to France together on one small ship. He guarded Generals Eisenhower, Patton, and Bradley when they viewed the first concentration camp liberated by American forces, outside Gotha, Germany. He drove French General Charles de Gaulle, escorted Mrs. Patton to General Patton’s funeral, and guarded President Truman during a conference with Stalin and Attlee in Potsdam. While stationed with General Eisenhower in Coombe Manor just outside London, Jack was wounded in an attack (earning a Purple Heart medal), yet, while wounded, still managed to save three British civilians. For Jack’s heroic actions, the Lord Mayor of Kingston-on-Thames was honoring Jack at a ceremony outside London on September 11, 2001 while the terrorist attacks in the United States occurred. Jack spent much of his career as a salesman for Rheingold Breweries. During the heady years of the “Miss Rheingold” contests, Jack and Peggy’s loving and stable presence was rewarded with the honor of chaperoning the contestants. Luckily, Jack and Peggy’s lessons on avoiding moral turpitudes were better received by their children and grandchildren. Jack spent his retired years accompanying Peggy on her daily adventures, as well as indulging his love of dogs by spending fun times at the dog park at Fleet Peeples Park on Lakemont. He volunteered with St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Winter Park, enjoyed lunch on Thursdays with his friends from the Stag Club, and was active in the University Club of Winter Park as well as the Irish-American Cultural Society of Central Florida, the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion. The Bailey family thanks particularly Joe and Pat Beresheim for their many kindnesses, Richard for helping Jack with Jack’s book about serving in WWII, and the staff at Savannah Court/Cove for all the large and small things they do every day to make life so pleasant. On Saturday, February 23, 2008, at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church at 526 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, please join the family in sharing stories and laughter at 9:30AM; a Funeral Mass will follow at 10:30AM. In lieu of flowers, the family humbly suggests memorial contributions to Friends of Fleet Peeples Dog Park, Inc., P.O. Box 1112, Winter Park, FL 32790-1112, or The Eisenhower Foundation, 200 Southeast 4th Street, Abilene, KS 67410.
