Shirley Bailey

On August 1st, 2021, a bittersweet day that will forever be ingrained in our hearts as the day Shirley Paul Bailey, age 92 returned home to his Heavenly Father.
Shirley Paul Bailey was born on September 07, 1928. He was a native of Four Mile Bayou, Louisiana and a longtime resident of Amelia, LA., where he established his family and business. He was the brother to Ervin, Ory, Floyd, EJ Bailey and Hilda Bailey Duval, who preceded his death. and is survived by his sister Barbara Bailey Gaudet of Amelia, Louisiana. Dad was the husband to Clara Ann Bailey, who also returned home to heaven on May 4, 2020. Together they had seven children Randy Bailey (Christine), Wayne Bailey, Aline Bailey Rentrop (James, Sr.), Phillip Bailey(deceased), Melissa Bailey, Eric Bailey and Karen Bailey Brown (Eric). Shirley was a grandpa to Tiffany Bailey, Danielle Bailey Sansone, Damon Bailey, James Rentrop Jr., Jenna Rentro-Farragaut, Cody Powell, Carissa Powell Eldridge and Cheyenne Bailey, as well as a great grandfather.
In 1954 at the young age of 26, Dad, along with the dedication of his wife Clara, established a grocery store in Amelia Louisiana, calling it Bailey's Lakeview Grocery. After countless days of working on a shrimp boat & as a commercial fisherman, he was able to open a 12 × 12 grocery store which later grew into the building that still stands today. Despite the odds of not even having a high school education, he proved that whatever your heart desire, it can be obtained through hard work, dedication and persistence. He was a wise businessman who built and maintained a profitable business establishment for more than 60 years which afforded security for his family. The store was his livelihood, his purpose and the reason he got out of bed in the morning. Dad loved his customers and loved hearing the latest news around town. He enjoyed times in the store behind the counter where he sat with friends and family laughing and talking about life events. Dad would help many people throughout his lifetime. He believed in working for what you want in life, because through this comes appreciation & character. This was one of the many valuable lessons that Dad taught us. He was adored, admired, loved, liked and disliked by a few, but he was authentic, what you see is what you get. So today, let's celebrate a lifelong lived and hold near and dear the memories of Dad that brings us tears of joy and rest assured that his soul is eternally in heaven with all the loved ones who left before him
Today is all that's promised. We can only change the present. Until the day I see my dad again, I will hold on to all the memories we shared. I was privileged to be the one by his side looking after him, caring, loving him and assuring him that he was not alone. Dad loved the best way he knew how, and one thing is for sure he was always there when we needed him. Let's take comfort in knowing that he is now resting in peace with the Angel's and Our father Above.
Please join us as we come together to celebrate the Life and Legacy of Shirley Paul Bailey. Graveside services are scheduled for Tuesday, August 10, 2021, at 12:00 PM, St. Andrew Cemetery in Amelia, Louisiana.