James John Bailey III was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on March 18, 1942, to James John Bailey, Jr. and Fairfax Foster Bailey. A lifelong resident of the city, he died at his home on May 14, 2024. His death followed a long and courageous battle with PLS, a degenerative disease that crippled his body but not his mind. His wit and concern for others never left him. He loved to share stories with and about family, friends and earlier times. He had a deep affection for Baton Rouge and Franklin, his mother's hometown, as well as Highlands, NC, where he maintained a second home. He attended Miss Georgie's First Grade, the Convention Street School, Baton Rouge Junior High, Baton Rouge High and the Phillips Academy at Andover, MA. His college degree was from the University of Virginia, where he belonged to the SAE fraternity. His law school years at LSU and a stint in the Navy were the source of innumerable good stories. He served on the Jefferson Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors and the Board of Managers of the Alumni Association of the University of Virginia for many years. He was a founder of the Corrective Legislative Association and a past member of the board of trustees of the Woodberry Forest School. He was a member of the Baton Rouge Assembly, the Baton Rouge Country Club, the City Club of Baton Rouge and the Highlands Country Club. He is survived by his wife, Laura Schofield Bailey, and sons James John Bailey IV (Johanna Lundgren), Robert Warren Bailey (Kelsey Stroud) and William Prescott Bailey (Victoria Meroney), as well as grandchildren Barrett Grace Bailey and Robert Warren Bailey II. He is also survived by his sister, Virginia Bailey Noland (John) and her children Jay Noland and Scott Hickson (James); a nephew Prescott Foster Bailey, Jr. (Megan); and cousin Claude Reynaud (Erin Petrie), as well as a number of great nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Prescott Foster Bailey. The family would like to thank Rachel Parks and Mella Williams for the compassionate care they provided Jim through his long illness. Memorial visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, May 19, at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government Street, Baton Rouge LA. For those wishing to make memorials, the family would be grateful for donations to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, 100 North Street, Suite 900, Baton Rouge LA 70802; Companion Animal Alliance, 2550 Gourrier Avenue, Baton Rouge LA 70820; or The Town of Highlands Scholarship Fund, P O Box 460, Highlands NC 28741.
