Joe was born May 4, 1938 in Houston, Texas to Joseph Weldon Bailey and Ruby Permenter Bailey. He moved to Tyler in 1946 and graduated from Tyler High School in

1956. He received his BBA from Baylor University in 1960.

Joe worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. in Houston, Austin, and St. Louis.

He worked for General Telephone & Electronics in San Angelo and Grinnell, Iowa where he was Accounting Director for General Telephone Company of the Midwest before returning to Baylor to earn his MBA in 1978. He then joined Methodist Children's Home in Waco as Vice President - Finance where he served until his retirement in 2009.

Joe married Carol Ann Brown in 1988. They greatly enjoyed traveling Mexico, Canada, Europe and the United States and playing golf on some of the most beautiful courses in North America. Carol and Joe also enjoyed spoiling their dogs, building their Christmas collections, playing bridge, and visiting North American zoos.

Joe was predeceased by his parents and his son, Robert Weldon Bailey. He is survived by Carol and his son, Joseph Lee Bailey and wife, Susan, and their family in New Braunfels, as well as Carol's daughter Cherie and family in Olathe, Kansas.

Joe requests that friends and family remember their favorite animal charity.