Mary Bailey Obituary

Mary Lou Bailey WALTERBORO - Mrs. Mary Lou Bailey, wife of Jerry D. Bailey Sr., died Thursday evening at Palmetto Health Baptist Hospital in Columbia. She was 81. Mrs. Bailey was born in Spencer, NC January 15, 1928 a daughter of the late Luther Graham Lloyd and Mary McCauley Lloyd. After graduating from Furman University in 1949, she became employed with the South Carolina Department of Social Services in Florence County. She transferred to the Colleton County Department in 1952, and spent the remainder of her career there as a Program Supervisor, planning the activities of caseworkers with the children's and adult's protective services division. Mrs. Bailey possessed a strong compassion for abused and neglected children, which was reflected in her leadership on the Lowcountry Board of Directors of DSS on two separate occasions, as well as a special recognition by the South Carolina General Assembly for outstanding service in the field of child abuse in 1986. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Walterboro for over 51 years, and was also a member of Spring Valley Presbyterian Church. In addition to her husband, she is survived by three sons, Jerry D. "Jack" Bailey Jr., and wife Dawn, of Chapin, Mitchell L. Bailey, and wife Sheila, of the isle of Palms, and Scott G. Bailey, and wife Elena, of Columbia. There are seven grandchildren, Brooke, Andy, Emily, Hampton, Rhett, McCauley and Spencer Bailey, as well as a niece, Pat Stevenson. Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon at 3:00 in the Chapel of Parker-Rhoden Funeral Home, with entombment following in the Mausoleum of Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Walterboro. The family will receive friends beginning at 1:00 on Sunday at the funeral home. Additionally, a service of remembrance will be held at the Rice Retirement Home, 100 Finley Road in Columbia on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at 3:00. Flowers will be accepted, or memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society Relay For Life. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.parkerrhodenfuneralhome.com. PARKER-RHODEN FUNERAL HOME, 117 PAUL STREET, WALTERBORO is in charge of arrangements. Visit our guestbook at www.postandcourier.com/deaths