Doris Bailey, 97, passed from this Earth into Heaven on July 24th surrounded by her family. Before her passing, she described her life as a “a great journey.’’ She indeed saw and experienced so much over her long lifetime. She lived most of her life in Panama City Florida before moving to Georgetown, Texas in 2020 to be closer to family. She was a long time member of First Baptist Church in Panama City.

At the age of 17, she married her high school sweetheart and they enjoyed 54 years of marriage before his death in 2000. She loved music and not only sang beautifully but was awarded a seat playing French Horn in the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra while still in high school. She attended East Texas Baptist College where she earned degrees in Mathematics and Chemistry. Her childhood dream was to teach and she lived that dream by teaching Math for 44 years in Jr High School and High School. She loved her students and genuinely cared about their success in her classes. It was her hope to instill a love of math in each of them. We were amazed when in her 90’s she would talk about a student she taught in the 60’s, calling them by name and recalling conversations she had had with them while they were in her classes. She loved to travel and was fortunate enough to visit most of the world. In her late 70’s she traveled to Turkey, leaving home with no reservations and spent more than one night sleeping on ferries. She was a talented artist, painting in watercolor and did beautiful handwork and sewing. In her later years, she loved to sit and watch the birds, plants and flowers in the yard. She was intensely involved with and devoted to her family, giving them her best at all times.

She is predeceased by her husband, Earl Bailey, as well as her parents, sister and brother. She is survived by her daughers; Marilyn (Al) Lewis of Georgetown, Texas, and Margaret (Terry) Neustaedter of Pace, Fl. She leaves behind four grandchildren; Al Lewis, IV of Chicago, IL Michael (Gretchen) Lewis of Austin TX, Jan (Gray) Weaver of Milton FL and Greg (Sidney) Gil of Pace, FL. She was also blessed with nine great-grandchildren; Bailey Lewis, Owen Lewis, Gabrielle (Chris) Tate, Abigail Flores, Cameron (Laini) Gill, Caroline (Pete) Keiffer. The recent birth of Drew Gill made her a great-great grandmother to her delight.

She will always be remembered as a fiercely loyal friend, a witty companion, devoted mother, compassionate listener and the smartest person in any room until the morning she died. I am quite sure that she has already enlisted the Angels in Heaven in a calculus class.

Remains will be interred at a private graveside service in Panama City, FL at a later date.