Mary Lou Bailey

Mary Lou Potwin Bailey was born on September 21, 1931, in Melrose Park, Illinois, to Henry A Potwin and Ida Sheets Potwin. She passed away on June 18, 2022. Well known for her cheerful, kind, curious, adventurous spirit,

Mary Lou also had a passion for world travel, social clubs and singing. A graduate of Highland Park High School in 1950, she met and dated Thomas Ellis Bailey, where a typical date would be in his home garage. There she watched Tom work on his motorcycle. She called him Mousy- Mouse. Tom even gifted her with a deskunked skunk back then! Mary Lou then studied premed at SMU. She was very active in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, even after her college days. Mary Lou married her high school sweetheart, Thomas Ellis Bailey at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in June of 1952. Mary Lou and Tom had three daughters, Suzanne Bailey, Janet Louise Bailey and Sara Jane Bailey, as well as a variety

of pets through the years.

The Bailey Family moved at least 18 times with Thomas’s job.

Mary Lou was a successful realtor, once the girls got older, in Akron, Ohio.

Mary Lou was preceded in death by her mother and father, husband Thomas Bailey, daughter Suzanne Bailey, grandson Chase Swaffar, elder brother Henry (Bud) Potwin and sister-in-law Jo Potwin, sister and brothers-in-law Cynthia and Jack Halliday, mother and father-in-law Francis (Mimi) Bailey and James Bailey. She is survived by her sister Martha (Marty) Potwin Bryan,;daughters Janet Bailey Mullenix of North Richland Hills,TX, and Sara Jane Swaffar of Fayetteville, AR; son-in-law Mitchell Mullenix of North Richland Hills, TX. She was blessed with four grandchildren: Justin Thomas Mullenix of Dallas, TX, Travis Edward Mullenix of Dallas, Cynthia Jane Crowder of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Savanna Jane Brandt of Fayetteville, AR. Mary Lou became great-grandma of Bowen Chase Crowder, just weeks before her passing. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews Betty Bryan Fancher of Plano and Bob Bryan of Plano, Bill Bryan, David Potwin of McAllen, Texas, Paul Potwin of Dallas, Cathy Potwin Jones of Dripping Springs, Texas, Jim Halliday of Gulfport, Mississippi, Pamela Jane Halliday Warren of Panama City, Florida, and John Halliday of Gulfport, Mississippi.

Should friends and family desire, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary Lou’s memory to Dementia/Alzheimer’s research - go to www. philanthropy.mayoclinic.org/Alzheimer’s/ dementia or to a charity of your choice

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Bailey family.