Harold Richard Bailey

Memorial services for Harold Richard Bailey, 85, of Sperry, OK, were held Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at Sperry Christian Church in Sperry, OK. Tim Heitkamp officiated. Honorary casket bearers were Phillip Bailey, John Bailey, J.J. Blankenship, Josh Bailey, Xzavier Ford, Zander Ford, and Chase Ford.

Richard was born March 27, 1938, in Tulsa, OK, to Mose David Bailey and Millie Gertrude (Brazeal) Bailey. He passed away June 29, 2023, at his home in Sperry, OK.

Richard grew up in the Tulsa/Turley area and was a member of the Central High School graduating class of 1956, wrestling his way through three years of high school. After high school. He attended Oklahoma State University with a major in Pre-Vet Medicine on a wrestling scholarship for one year.  Richard then began working at ‘Diggin and Excavation’ owned by his father Mose and a partner. After a couple years, Richard bought the partners shares and created ‘Bailey Excavating’ alongside his father. In 1975, 18 years later, Richard purchased his own equipment and began his very own excavation company. In 1999, Jim Hines Sanitation hired Richard to excavate the site where Pryor Recycling was to be built. After site work was completed, Jim just kept finding more things for Richard to do on the project resulting in a full-time position with Richard building the Recycling Center from the ground up as Project Superintendent. Richard took great pride in his work; just to mention a few of his projects were: the Williams Building in Tulsa, Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Woodland Hills Mall in Tulsa, Sun Oil Refinery in Tulsa, Tulsa University, the Port of Catoosa, and Sperry Public Schools. In 2009, Richard was diagnosed with cancer and sought treatment at OU Medical and Stephenson Cancer Center. This treatment prolonged his life, giving him time to enjoy retirement on his 60-acre farm with family, friends, and many animals. Richard enjoyed growing up in the country and stayed true to those roots. Richard loved being outdoors as much as possible whether it was coon hunting with Charles, campfires, hayrides, hunting trips to Texas, Colorado and many other places with Jimmy, or fishing with Mark. Richard found joy in taking his kids camping, teaching them to shoot firearms as well as archery, how to process game after the hunt, gardening and providing their own food, and teaching his children to build fences and barns, as well as take care of livestock.

To know Richard Bailey was to know a great genuine laugh. He always had a joke (appropriate or not) up his sleeve. Richard was hard working, loving, kind and a man of God. He had a smile that lit up the room. The one regret Richard had was not enough time spent with his children.

Richard wanted to extend a special thank you to the surgeons, doctors, and staff at OU Medical for the extraordinary care he received throughout the years after his diagnosis of cancer. And to express his appreciation to the Grace Hospice nurses and staff who helped him live comfortably in his own home with his wife and service dog during his last months.

Last but certainly not least: To my lovely wife who was by my side continuously, who cared for me:

Thank you and I love you.

He is survived by his wife, Beth Bailey; children, Phillip Bailey and wife, Sandra, Brenda May, Wayne Barber, Kenny Barber, Laura Ann (Barber) Griffith, Millie Sue Peterson and husband, C.J., Michelle Corley and husband, Randy, John Bailey and wife, Allie, J.J. Blankenship and wife, Stasha, Sarah Bailey and significant other, Stacy, Tamra Lonon and husband, Jasper, Mikaela Higham and husband, Edgar, and many others raised in and out of the Bailey Home; his constant companion and Service Dog, Jake;  grandchildren, Josh, Byron, Kat, Kyle, Aly, Blayre, Amanda, Lisa, Katie, Brandy, Xzavier, Levi, Zander, Chase, Autumn, Anna, Maddie, Maia, Alexis, Lilly, Lennox, and Alexandra; great-grandchildren, Creeke, Brayden, Emily, Bradley, Emmitt, Waylon, Wesley, Sawyer and Draven; and many other relatives and friends .

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Anissa Dianne Bailey; grandson, Justin Hardin; parents, Mose and Millie Bailey; and sisters, Mary Lou Phillips and Royce Newby.

Arrangements and services were entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home, Sperry.

Online condolences to the family can be made at johnsonsperry.com.