John Parham Bailey III
John Parham Bailey III departed this earthly life peacefully on Sunday October 29th, 2023 surrounded by his family at his home in Roxboro, NC. Funeral services were held at Roxboro Baptist Church on Saturday November 11th, 2023 at 11am with visitation beginning at 10am. John was born in Memphis, Tennessee on December 10th, 1939 to the late John P. Bailey Jr. and Christine Stacks Bailey. He was raised on a farm in Independence, Mississippi where he learned the importance of hard work and discipline. Being the oldest child and only son in the 40s and 50s warranted much responsibility. It was in Tate County where he learned structure, the importance of faith and the love of family. And through these things the foundation for his life was laid. Growing up his cousins were his dearest friends and the friendships forged and the bond between them continued into adult life. Early education began at Independence High School just a few miles from his childhood home. At IHS he played high school basketball and graduated in 1957. During his senior year he enlisted in the Army National Guard and attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. In 1962 John’s unit was called to active duty by President John F. Kennedy to protect James Meredith’s attendance at Ole Miss. Mississippi State University was his college choice, graduating in 1963 with a degree in business. Soon after he joined ChromeCraft furniture in the sales department. It was there where he was re-acquainted with his future wife, Wanda Dee. Even though they attended separate schools they knew each other from the high school basketball days. In 1966 they married and settled in Senatobia, Mississippi. They welcomed a son, John Parham Bailey IV in January 1969 whom they nicknamed Jay and a daughter, Dee Dee Bailey in March of 1971. John doted on his wife and children, loved them beyond measure, was an excellent provider and never faltered in his determination to give them a life filled with comfort, fun and happy memories. He took active roles in coaching t-ball and later Little League baseball, church youth, Scouts, school band activities, recitals, hunting, fishing, boating and skiing with Jay, Dee Dee and their friends. Honoring a quote from John’s father, ‘Take your boy hunting and you will never have to go hunting for your boy’. John spent much of his free time in Camouflage hunting with his children, family and friends. Quail hunting was his favorite but he also enjoyed duck, deer and squirrel hunting. To quote his wife, Wanda, ‘John was like a kid at Christmas the night before opening day of quail season’. In 1985 John moved his family to Roxboro, North Carolina for an opportunity as a National Sales Manager for a furniture company. John later acquired his Real Estate and Insurance Licenses and got involved in the Roxboro Rotary Club. He was honored to have been selected Rotary President in 2014. John loved life living each day as if it were his last. He and wife Wanda attended First Baptist Church Senatobia and later Roxboro Baptist Church. Over the years they enjoyed cruises, traveling to Europe numerous times, Bahamas, Mexico, St. Martin, line dancing, Class Reunions in Mississippi, North Carolina State Football, and time spent with family in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. John and Wanda had the opportunity to visit the bridge at Remagen on the Rhine river in Germany, where his father crossed in WWII. In 2013 John was credited for having coordinated repairs to his son Jay’s beach home in Rodanthe, NC in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy while Jay was finishing up an engineering project overseas. After his health began to decline and he became housebound, John was content with watching Fox News and loved following conservative politics and current events in the world. On Saturdays he was all about watching N.C. State and Mississippi State Football as well as NCAA Basketball, especially the Final Four! He both enjoyed and adored his wife Wanda’s cooking and spent many happy days in the last four years of his life with his youngest grandchild, his namesake, J.P. Bailey V. John leaves behind his devoted wife of 57 years Wanda Dee Bailey. His son, John ‘Jay’ Parham Bailey IV (Katthy) of Williston, South Carolina. His Daughter Dwana Dee ‘Dee Dee’ Bailey of Zebulon, North Carolina. His sister Kathy Bailey Williams (Chuck). Five grandchildren, Hunter and Victoria Ward, Trent and Justin Bailey and John P. Bailey V ‘JP’. Nephews Bob Burford (Hope) and Brad Burford (Raydale), and a niece Katherine Keely Williams. He was preceded in death by his parents John Parham Bailey Jr and Christine Stacks Bailey, his sister Brenda Bailey Burford, nephew Brian Burford (Julie) and brother-n-law, Bobby Burford. The family would like to express sincere gratitude for the Hospice group who cared for John for 14 months at home as well as those who have visited, called, sent messages and flowers.
