Bill was born January 5, 1932 to the late Rachel Craven Bailey and W.J.G. Bailey in Charleston, SC, where he attended public schools. He graduated from Spartanburg Junior College in 1953 and the University of South Carolina in 1958, after two years in the US Army during the Korean conflict.
In 1954, he married Kathleen Causey Bailey who was his loving wife until her death in 2012.
He is predeceased by his parents, William Gary Bailey and Rachel Craven Bailey; and his sisters, Helen Beatrice Bailey Barwick (Henry), Thelma Theresa Bailey Graham (EJ Graham), Ernestine Cheri Bailey McDaniel (Douglas) and JoAnn Rachel Bailey Martin.
Bill is survived by his brother-in-law, Lee M. Martin, Jr., and nieces and nephews.
After college he worked for two large corporations before joining Bob Capes Realty in 1972, where he excelled in residential brokerage until retirement in 2008. He was a lifetime member of the Columbia Board of Realtors Million Dollar Club.
Bill was a member of First Baptist Church and was previously an active member of Riverland Hills Baptist and of Seven Oaks Presbyterian Church, where he sang in the Chancel Choir.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church, 1306 Hampton St., Columbia, SC 29201.
A graveside service will be held for Bill at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, December 20th, 2023 at Bush River Memorial Gardens, 5400 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 29212.
