Obituary of Robert Lowell Bailey Sr.

BAILEY, Robert Lowell Sr. aged 90 of Springboro, Ohio passed away peacefully May 10, 2018 at Hospice of Butler & Warren Counties with his family by his side. Born December 22, 1927 in Levant, Kansas.

Blessed with a sharp mind and a strong work ethic, Bob graduated from Lawrence High school, The University of Kansas and Harvard Law School.  After passing the bar and serving in the Air Force, his business career allowed him to be the first person to sell chemical fertilizer in Southeast Asia. Some of his proudest moments came from helping Thai farmers do better for themselves. With his family in tow, Bob relocated to Thailand, learned to speak the language and eat hot peppers. More than just a fertilizer salesman, he strongly valued other people before money. While that precluded him practicing as a lawyer, his extensive experience of the world, respect for other people’s values, and acceptance of their choices made him a wise advisor on life decisions—his children and nephews can attest to that. He was an avid “idea man” generating a constant stream of ideas, some of them better than others, which he strove to implement until his last days.

As a young man you’d find him playing in his jazz band with his father accompanying him to gigs (as he was under age) or find him on the dance floor.  He loved sports, often attending KU football and basketball games with this children or yelling at the television during games. Bob was a talented mechanic and could regularly be found in the garage fixing up his many classic cars including his Triumph Spitfire, VW Bug, Ford Mustang, and 64’ International Truck.  Early in childhood Bob discovered his passion for farming, and throughout this life he devoted much of his time to his land in Kansas; planting crops, raising free-range pigs and adopting abandoned pets.   In his later years, he found a new purpose and took up substitute teaching following in his parents footsteps. 

He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Preceded in death by his parents Lowell and Elfie Bailey, sister Marilyn Wise, and his first wife Mariellen. Bob leaves behind his loving wife Betty Hooks-Bailey, daughter Laura, sons Robert Jr. (Cindy) and Lorne (Leslie Price), step-daughter Shannon (late Gary) Luther, grandchildren Brad, Elizabeth, and Brian Bailey, step-grandchildren Craig Luther, Leslie (Scott) Wiggins, and great-grandchildren Alex and Maddison Luther.

Services will be at: Lebanon Cemetery on June 9th at 11 am. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bob's name to Springboro Fire Department 925 S Main St, Springboro, OH 45066 or memorial donations may be made to KU Endowment in his name in support of University of Kansas Scholarships to KU Endowment, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence, KS 66044 or give online at www.kuendowment.org/givenow.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.stinekilburnfuneralhome.com.