Carolyn Hampton Bailey

Mrs. Carolyn Louise Hampton Bailey passed away on February 16, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. Originally born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on March 23, 1923, Carolyn died only weeks away from celebrating her 102nd birthday.

Carolyn was raised in New England, the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, and the oldest daughter of seven siblings. Her parents, Everett and Hazel Hampton, evolve out of Irish, African American Indian background. Both her parents worked for an affluent rich industrialist as their chauffeur and seamstress.

Carolyn’s dream was to become an educator. She had the honor of becoming the first black woman to attend the local college, all paid for by her parents’ rich employers. She graduated with honors, earning a

degree in Accounting and Business Administration. As the doors for her career opened; Carolyn moved to Washington, D.C. to take a job at the Pentagon.

On February 2, 1946, Carolyn and Corporal Edward Bailey, were married. Ed was a WW II Army Veteran, a member of the infamous 366th Regiment Infantry, Intelligence and Reconnaissance Unit that served in Italy. They moved to Philadelphia and opened their own shop for custom designing men’s and women’s suits. Germantown, a community of Philadelphia, is where they settled down, purchased a home, and raised their three children. Ed became a deacon at his family’s church, Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.

On July 1, 1958, Ed, a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, collapsed and died on his mail route, leaving Carolyn to raise their three children alone. However, she was determined to move forward with her life, earning a Master’s Degree in Education and went to work for the Philadelphia Public School System teaching special-needs children. She also developed a state funded media center to train fellow teachers.

After retirement Carolyn traveled seasonally to West Palm Beach like a snowbird and relocated permanently in 1994. She was an active member of the 1st Presbyterian Church and did volunteer work with the Urban League and the Salvation Army. Retirement allowed Carolyn to realize her dreams of travel, including a train trip across Canada, a trip abroad at age 89 and several cruises. She moved from

her condo in West Palm Beach in 2015 to the Fountainview Senior Living Community where she enjoyed playing card games with her neighbors and friends. Carolyn chose to be cremated. Her ashes will be sprinkled on the gravesite where her beloved husband and the Bailey family are laid to rest at Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

Carolyn leaves to cherish her memory her sister Hope Kinsey, her children Dr. Chervon (Cherie) McCoy, Edward Hampton Bailey (Jocelyn), Sakina (Kristal) Bailey; grandchildren Tony McCoy, Maria McCoy, Kim (Sunniyah) Bryant, Keisha Bailey Garvin (William), Kory Bailey; 13 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.