Rev. Milton W. Bailey, long time pastor of Houston area churches, went to be with the Lord August 30, 2018 at the age of 104. He was born in Houston, May 3, 1914, and spent his early years in Hollywood, CA. The family returned to Houston and settled in the Heights where he graduated from Reagan High School. He attended Baylor University and graduated from Howard Payne University where he lettered on the varsity basketball team. He then attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Rev. Bailey pastored more than twenty churches in the Houston area including First Baptist of Pearland, First Baptist of Humble, Meadowbrook Baptist and First Baptist of Willis. After retiring he served as interim pastor at numerous churches including Baptist Temple, Emmanuel Baptist and Spring Woods Baptist.
He served for many years on the board of trustees for Memorial Baptist Hospital System of Houston and was a member of the site-selection committee for the founding of Houston Baptist University. He was twice elected president of the Houston Baptist Pastors’ Conference.
A Biblical scholar and humorist, he was a popular speaker at banquets, schools, and church events. He was a sports enthusiast, closely following the Rice Owls, Houston Cougars, Rockets and Astros. In his college years he attended Rice football games to assist brothers Bob and Marvin to film the games.
Milton loved being a pastor and serving the Lord, saying it was his true calling. He never gave up preaching and at age 101 he traveled to Bryan, TX, to participate in the funeral of a dear friend.
Prior to becoming a preacher he worked at Stewart Title Company and Federal Land Bank of Houston where he handled complicated land abstracts. He was a member of Second Baptist Church of Houston.
He was preceded in death by first wife, Rebalee Sharpley Bailey, and second wife, Lucille Malone Bailey, as well as his parents Mary Lou and Walter Bailey, and brothers Bob and Marvin Bailey of the Bob Bailey Studio.
He is survived by his children James R. Bailey of Houston and Betty Lou Bailey McCall (Edward Molitor) of McAllen; brother-in-law and sister-in-law James W. and Geraldine Sharpley of Houston; nieces and nephews Kenneth Bailey (Patty), Wanda Bailey, Nancy Hutchinson (Gary) and Janet Sharpley, all of Houston, and John Sharpley of Singapore; cousins Robert and Carolyn Sears of Houston; stepdaughters Celia Lyn Grant (Bill), Cathy Burgess (Joe) and Nena Tatum (Glen); and step grandchildren Tammy Carns, Shelly Turner, Kevin Burgess, Kim Pearman, Brian Tatum and Amy Tatum.
Special thanks to the doctors who cared for him and for the loving and dedicated service of his private nurse Gwendolyn Wallace.
Visitation will be Tuesday, September 4 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Heights Funeral Home; graveside service at Forest Park Lawndale Wednesday, September 5 at 10:00 a.m.; and a memorial service at Heights Funeral Home Wednesday, September 5 at 2:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory are suggested to South Main Baptist Church, 4100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002.
