Obituary – Robert Lloyd Bailey, Jr.

Published 11:08 am Friday, January 24, 2020

Robert Lloyd Bailey, Jr., died on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020, after a long illness.  

Funeral services will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Advent in Sumner on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 11 a.m., preceded with a visitation, also at the church, at 10 a.m. A burial at Woodlawn Cemetery will follow the service.  Meredith Nowell Funeral Home in Clarksdale, Miss., is handling the arrangements.

Bob was the son of the late Robert Lloyd Baily and Frances Sumner Bailey whose grandfather established the town of Sumner, Miss.  Bob graduated from West Tallahatchie High School and Ole Miss where he was a leader in the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He remained active in the fraternity serving on its advisory committee for many years.  He was recently honored by having the Kappa Sigma living room dedicated to him. 

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He was also known as the best dancer at Ole Miss.  He served for two years in the U.S. Army in Germany.  Returning to Sumner, he became a pharmaceutical representative for Endo Laboratories L.L.C. and later for DuPont.  His winsome personality enabled him to know and be known by every doctor and pharmacist in North Mississippi. Bob was loved by everybody.  He was a loyal friend, loving family member and a devout Christian. He will be sorely missed.

Bob was preceded in death by his cousins, June Sumner Glenn, of Crawfordsville, Ark.; Taylor Sumner Spradling, of Clarksdale, Miss.; Joy Sumner Meyer, of Alexandria, La.; Paul Creekmore Sumner, Jr., of Newton Grove, N.C.; William Morris Glenn, Jr., of Conway, Ark.; Ivy Dean Spradling, Jr., of Maryville, Tenn.; Joel Scott Spradling, of Marks, Miss.; and Paul Creekmore Sumner, III, of Newton Grove.

Bob is survived by Mattie Bass Sumner, the widow of Creekmore Sumner, Jr., of Newton Grove; and cousins, Luann Glenn, of Little Rock, Ark. Sumner Smith Spradling, of Browns Summit, N.C., Anita Tyler Spradling, the widow of Scott Spradling, of Marks, Miss.; Mary Meyer Toups, of New Orleans, La.; Carter Peyton Meyer, of Cleveland, Texas, Lynn Sumner Motz, of New Cumberland, Pa., Lt. Col. Dianne Leigh Sumner USMC (Ret.), of Newton Grove, and Lorri Frances Sumner, of Castle Hayne, N.C.