Evelyn Smith Bailey, age 85, passed on October 10, 2023.
The funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, October 21, 2023, at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Johnson Street, Oglethorpe, Georgia.
Evelyn Smith Bailey, lovingly known as “Momma Bailey” was born April 30, 1938, to the loving parents of the late John Thomas and Minnie Louise Bailey English. Born the second daughter of three children, she was raised in a Christian home singing with her mother and sister in the church choir. Her life was centered around ministries as her grandfather was a Baptist Elder preaching at 5 different churches. Evelyn adored reading the bible to him regularly. She was very active in her church as a member of St Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church youth ministries.
Her hard work, dedication and family traditions were catalysts for her career achievements. In 1954 she moved to Miami, Florida and married her high school sweetheart the late Johnny C. Smith. They later divorced in 1965. Their union was blessed with 3 sons: the late Johnny Berlin and Fredrick Marcellas, and loving son Terry Wayne (Miami, FL/Oglethorpe, GA).
She received her secondary education at Dorsey Skill Center and Miami Skill Center in Miami, Florida and earned a degree in typing and shorthand which afforded her the opportunity to begin her career working for the State of Florida in the Vocational Rehabilitation department for 17 years and 13 years as a technician working with Brain and Spinal cord injured patients until she retired. She was widely admired by all that knew her calling her the “Queen.” Her love for Jesus led her to pray and counsel many in need.
Retirement did not stop her from surrounding herself with people and spreading the love of the Lord. Receiving him strongly in her life Evelyn began working for God through her own ministry she began visiting and praying for the elderly at Franco Nursing and Rehab center in Miami, Florida. She was deemed a “Prayer Warrior” learning the ways of God and obeying the calling in her life to counsel anyone in need of learning the love of God. She was affectionately known as “Mother Bailey” in her neighborhood as she cared, loved and fed many who knocked on her door for help.
In her walk with God and living according to his will, God gave her a new life as she married John F. Bailey in 1977, and they loved and served God together for 32 years until he was called to be with the Lord. God was faithful and blessed them to be a blessing to others in need. Her love for her family was plentiful; she prayed and taught her children about Jesus and having faith.
Evelyn was always recognized for her lovely classic style. At church Jesus People Ministries, she was known as “Momma" and "the lady with the hair.”
She leaves to mourn her passing her son, Terry Wayne Smith of Miami Florida/Oglethorpe, Georgia, 11 loving grandchildren, 20 loving great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, special church friends, her God children, friends, neighbors, prayer partners, and others.
The funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, October 21, 2023, at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Johnson Street, Oglethorpe, Georgia.
Evelyn Smith Bailey, lovingly known as “Momma Bailey” was born April 30, 1938, to the loving parents of the late John Thomas and Minnie Louise Bailey English. Born the second daughter of three children, she was raised in a Christian home singing with her mother and sister in the church choir. Her life was centered around ministries as her grandfather was a Baptist Elder preaching at 5 different churches. Evelyn adored reading the bible to him regularly. She was very active in her church as a member of St Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church youth ministries.
Her hard work, dedication and family traditions were catalysts for her career achievements. In 1954 she moved to Miami, Florida and married her high school sweetheart the late Johnny C. Smith. They later divorced in 1965. Their union was blessed with 3 sons: the late Johnny Berlin and Fredrick Marcellas, and loving son Terry Wayne (Miami, FL/Oglethorpe, GA).
She received her secondary education at Dorsey Skill Center and Miami Skill Center in Miami, Florida and earned a degree in typing and shorthand which afforded her the opportunity to begin her career working for the State of Florida in the Vocational Rehabilitation department for 17 years and 13 years as a technician working with Brain and Spinal cord injured patients until she retired. She was widely admired by all that knew her calling her the “Queen.” Her love for Jesus led her to pray and counsel many in need.
Retirement did not stop her from surrounding herself with people and spreading the love of the Lord. Receiving him strongly in her life Evelyn began working for God through her own ministry she began visiting and praying for the elderly at Franco Nursing and Rehab center in Miami, Florida. She was deemed a “Prayer Warrior” learning the ways of God and obeying the calling in her life to counsel anyone in need of learning the love of God. She was affectionately known as “Mother Bailey” in her neighborhood as she cared, loved and fed many who knocked on her door for help.
In her walk with God and living according to his will, God gave her a new life as she married John F. Bailey in 1977, and they loved and served God together for 32 years until he was called to be with the Lord. God was faithful and blessed them to be a blessing to others in need. Her love for her family was plentiful; she prayed and taught her children about Jesus and having faith.
Evelyn was always recognized for her lovely classic style. At church Jesus People Ministries, she was known as “Momma" and "the lady with the hair.”
She leaves to mourn her passing her son, Terry Wayne Smith of Miami Florida/Oglethorpe, Georgia, 11 loving grandchildren, 20 loving great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, special church friends, her God children, friends, neighbors, prayer partners, and others.
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