Shirley Ann Bailie, 87, peacefully transitioned from her temporary earthly home to her eternal home with Jesus on May 19, 2022. She is now resting in the bosom of Jesus, her eternal Father, and is reunited with her parents (Ray and Laverne Sharp) and siblings (Betty Privett, Donald Sharp, David Sharp). She is also preceded in death by a daughter-in-law (Elizabeth Dowling Bailie) and grandson (Brian Bailie), as well as other precious family members and friends. Shirley was born February 27, 1935 in Jackson, Minnesota. Shirley and her family moved from Jackson Minnesota to Lakeland Florida when she was a senior in High School, graduating from Lakeland High school in 1952. She married Philip Bailie in Lakeland Florida on November 20, 1954. Married 67.5 years to her wonderful, devoted, and loving husband, they raised three extremely active and mischievous boys. Shirley was a full-time mom until her boys were old enough for her to work outside the home. She then worked for several years at Sears in Fort Myers in the men’s clothing department. This allowed her to keep her boys in fine quality and stylish clothes for school and church, which was very important to her. She sacrificed new clothes for herself to keep her boys extremely well-dressed. Shirley subsequently worked in the Lee County School system as an assistant librarian, eventually retiring from this job. She worked tirelessly to ensure her husband and boys had everything they needed, while meticulously maintaining her home.
Shirley’s love of Jesus was her number one priority in life. She introduced her fiancé, and later husband, to a personal relationship with Jesus. She wouldn’t marry Philip unless he was reborn by accepting Jesus into his heart. She taught Sunday school classes at the Assembly of God church in Fort Myers when her boys were young. As the matriarch of the family, Shirley’s focus and loving concern was to ensure that she raised her boys to love Jesus and accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior. She worked tirelessly to ensure her family was healthy, safe, and happy. She always encouraged and supported her boys to be the best students they could be in school, as well as the best athletes they could be in various sports. She was extremely proud of all her boys’ accomplishments, and she let them know this all their lives. Besides being a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandma. Shirley had other admirable talents. She was a skilled piano player and singer for most of her adult life. She loved music and taught her boys to love Christian hymns. She led the family band when her boys were teenagers. Our band included vocals, piano, saxophone, trumpet, and drums. The family “Christmas concerts” were a popular annual event. To this day, this love of music remains with her boys. Shirley possessed a remarkable gift for interior decorating. Everybody that knew her would tell you she had excellent interior and exterior decorating skills. Every home she lived in throughout her life was superbly decorated because of her talent and skills.
Shirley is survived by her husband of 67.5 years, Philip Bailie; her sons; Daniel (Virginia) Bailie of Bristow, Virginia, James Bailie of Surry Virginia, Douglas (Janet) Bailie of North Port, FL; her sister Lois Phillips of Lakeland, FL; her sister-in-law Alice Middaugh of Lakeland, FL; her nephew Thomas Privett and niece Terri Privett York, both of Lakeland FL, Robert (Ruth) Sharp of Lakeland and Diane Overstreet of Commerce City, CO; her grandchildren Jamie Hynes (Rory) of Sarasota, FL, Kira (Garrett) Butler of Miami, FL, Trey Bailie (Crystal) of Lakeland FL, Samuel (Rebecca) Bailie of Moyock, North Carolina, Evan Bailie of Lakeland, FL, Audrey Bailie of Lakeland, FL; her five greatgrandchildren Owen Hynes, Allyson Hynes, Titus Bailie, Aspen Butler, and Elaina Bailie . She is also survived by many additional loving family members and friends.
Visitation will be on May 31, 2022 from 6-8 p.m. at Lakeland Funeral Home, 2125 South Bartow Hwy in Lakeland, Florida. Shirley’s “Celebration of Life” service will be held June 1, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. at Victory Church Chapel, 1401 Griffin Road in Lakeland, Florida. Interment will be at Lakeland Memorial Gardens, 2125 South Bartow Hwy in Lakeland, Florida.
Words of comfort may be expressed by clicking “Share a Memory” link.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Shirley A Bailie, please visit our floral store.