Chalmers Reed Bailey, 89, of Greenfield, passed away Wednesday, November 16, 2016. He was born on January 17, 1927, in Keokee, Va., as the son of Earl E. and Daisy M. (Stapleton) Bailey Bledsoe.
He served as a Sergeant 1st Class in the Fifth U.S. Army during WWII and the Korean War. He married Patty F. (Byington) Bailey on June 21, 1953, in Jonesville, Va. They were married by Rev. Luther McConnell, the bride’s uncle.
Reed worked in management for Chrysler, mostly in Indianapolis, for 32 years before retiring in 1981. He was a member of Bethel Baptist Church and a life member of the Birmingham Lodge #44 F. & A.M. in Michigan. Reed enjoyed gardening and birdwatching.
Reed is survived by his wife, Patty Frances Bailey of Greenfield; children, Sharlene (James) Strahl of Indianapolis and Jeffrey (Barb) Bailey also of Indianapolis; sister, Ima Jo Odham of Johnson City, Tenn.; grandchildren, Nicholas Strahl, Alex (Brittany) Strahl, Andrea Bailey and Lauren Bailey; and great-grandchildren, Abram Witten and Dalton Strahl.
Reed was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Daisy Bailey; an infant sister; and sister, Beulah Owens.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 22, at Erlewein Mortuary & Crematory, 1484 W. US Hwy. 40, Greenfield, IN 46140 with a Masonic service at 6:30 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 23, at Bethel Baptist Church, 1610 S. State St., Greenfield, IN 46140 with calling beginning at 10:30 a.m. Pastor Randall Parker will be officiating. Burial will take place at Lee Memorial Gardens in Pennington Gap, Va., on a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made by mail to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN 38105, or envelopes will be available at the mortuary.
Friends may share a memory or a condolence at erleweinmortuary.com.
