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Williamsburg businessman and popular former radio show host dies at age 78
Posted On 01 Dec 2010
Former Williamsburg businessman and longtime radio personality Bart Bailey is being remembered as man who loved talking to people and as someone, who could find the humor in almost any situation.
"Bart always felt like there was supposed to be a little humor in life that was kind of the way he lived his whole life," recalled his brother, Ed Bailey.
Bart Bailey, 78, of South 10th Street, Williamsburg, passed away Sunday at Oak Tree Hospital in Corbin.
His funeral service is planned for 2 p.m. Wednesday at Croley Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Bill Wright, Rev. Bill Mitchell and Rev. Keith Decker officiating. Burial will follow in Whitley Memorial Gardens.
Bart Bailey was co-owner of Bailey’s Country Store in Williamsburg for over 50 years, and co-hosted the popular Bailey’s Request Radio Show, for over 30 years with his brother, Ed Bailey, on WCTT radio.
"It made a good life for us," Ed Bailey recalled.
Both jobs were labors of love for Bart Bailey because they allowed him to work with people, which is something he loved to do.
"He loved people that was the bottom line with Bart," Ed Bailey noted. "He absolutely loved people. Class or social status made no difference whatsoever to him.
"He was a genuine people person. He could talk to people of any age of any class. He just was outgoing and loved people."
Ed Bailey said that Bart led a good and interesting life. Both joined the Air Force and got to see various parts of the world before settling back to the "beautiful banks of Briar Creek," as Ed put it.
"I think both of us couldn’t wait to get away from here, then absolutely could not wait to get back here," Ed Bailey said.
Their father, Joe Virgil Bailey Sr., founded Bailey’s Country Store in 1937. It was originally located in Emlyn, but later moved to the location where Cedaridge Ministries is located at today.
WCTT radio went on the air May 5, 1947, and the next day Virgil Bailey took to the air with the first commercial program.
Virgil Bailey hosted the program until the early 1950s when he got to retirement age and Ed and Bart took it over with Ed playing the straight man to Bart’s funny guy.
"Probably 30 years we were on the air, Bart and myself," Ed Bailey said.
While Ed retired about 1980, Bart continued doing the radio program for a few more years, Ed Bailey recalled.
In addition to the radio program each day and helping run the store, Bart Bailey also stayed busy in the community working as a charity auctioneer along with his good friend former longtime Whitley County Clerk Everett Rains.
The pair would go all over Whitley County for pie suppers and auctioning duties at schools, Ed Bailey said.
Bart Bailey is survived by his wife, Ada Lee Hubbs Bailey of Williamsburg, three brothers, and two sisters.
For additional information, see Bailey’s obituary on page B-5 of this week’s News Journal.
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I loved to come home to my mom’s Nona Bowen Fann Patterson. I looked forward to listening to Ed and Bart’s program. One time my mom sold a huge pumpkin to them on the day before they were closed a day. When they came back into the store, Bart said on the radio , I was sold this pumpkin and this morning it had exploded itself all over my store. He had a big time telling about it.I wished I would have taped it. I did tape the [program once and I am going to ask my husband to put it on a cd. I think maybe a brother or son, gr son would like a copy.
I met this man only once in person ,but every moning he came into our home Dale always loved his radio program, and we all heard him and his brother every time they were on the radio. THE HUMOR WAS HONEST THE PROGRAM WAS DOWN HOME HONEST NEVER MAKING LIGHT OF ANYONE. Theprogram was true to the people and you could feel the compassion he had for this country and abve all the people in this country. The time I met him in person it was for my daughters ugly dog contest. he laughed for a moment held the little do0g and said thats why you are so loved by this child. I felt then here is a real human being with a good heart. That is why the people loved him a man with a good heart ,how I wish this were all people.