Fernald Hamilton Bailey, 97, of Jefferson, peacefully went home to be with the lord on Nov. 4, 2024, at LincolnHealth’s Miles Campus. Born on Oct. 11, 1927, at home on the family farm on the Ridge Road in Jefferson, he was the son of Perley and Thelma Bailey.
One of eight children, he grew up during the Depression and learned to get by with very little. He had his own pair of oxen that he raised, which he would use for logging and cutting pulpwood. He was a 1948 graduate of Lincoln Academy with a varsity letter in baseball.
After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army where he was a member of the 2nd Infantry Division, and fought during the war in Korea. He spent two winter months in a foxhole on Heartbreak Ridge. He carried a copy of the New Testament his sister had given to him in his front pocket. He said if he could make it out of there alive, he would live a long and good life. It was here his mechanical talents were discovered, and he was brought down off the ridge and put to work as a mechanic in the motor pool. There, he kept everything going, even the broken down enemy truck they found along the side of the road.
Sgt. Bailey came home from the war and went to a square dance for some fun, which ended up being a life-changing event. There at that dance, he met the love of his life, Carolyn. She was here for a summer vacation following high school graduation. Her plans of going to college back home in Texas changed the moment she met Fernald, and on Nov. 16, 1952 she became his wife.
He built her a beautiful home where they raised four children; three sons and a daughter. Fernald was a great provider and took very good care of his family, providing not only food and shelter, but the fun stuff too. They had a pony, dogs, snowmobiles, and mini bikes, and he built for them a family camp on Damariscotta Lake, along with a boat and water skis to go with it.
Fernald worked hard at Sylvania in Waldoboro until he retired at the age of 62 as head of plant maintenance. After retirement, he built his own personal machine shop at home. He spent much time there in his shop, as well as many days chasing a golf ball with friends on the course; he always chose to walk instead of taking a cart. He and Carolyn spent many summers motorcycling throughout Maine, and many winters in Florida at their winter home living the retirement dream, sharing it with family when they would come visit. He enjoyed deer hunting, ice skating, cutting firewood, baling hay, digging with his backhoe, helping folks that needed it. In his later years, he took up cooking and baking; particularly cookies and brownies, and made a mean beef stew and shrimp stew.
Fernald had great faith in God and in Jesus Christ, his savior. He helped to build the church building at Calvary Bible Baptist Church in Whitefield. He also spent many vacations working at Camp Fairhaven. He made sure to share his faith with everyone he could.
Fernald lived independently at home until July 29, 2024; 75 days before his 97th birthday. He didn’t want to leave his home he’d built for Carolyn and where they had raised their family, yet he went willingly to assisted living where he did adjust very well and even thrived.
Two solid pieces of advice he gave: don’t do anything once you don’t want to do forever; and, when you start something, see it through to the finish.
Besides his parents, he was predeceased by the love of his life, Carolyn Jane, whom he was married to for 69 years; his daughter, Susan Jane Bailey; sisters, Barbara Dunham and Marilyn Pearson; and brothers, Byron Bailey, Roland Bailey, and Willard Bailey.
He is survived by his sons, Gerald Bailey and his wife, Donna, Keith Bailey, and Wayne Bailey and his wife, Linda; brother, Merrill Bailey and his wife, Shirley; sister, Sandra Bailey Puccio; grandchildren, Dexter, Stephen, Danielle, Ryan, Kevin, Lee, Erica, Tyler, Heather, and Rachael; great-grandchildren, Maya and Jase; as well as many nieces and nephews.
A time of visitation will be held from 3-6 p.m., on Thursday, Nov. 7 at the Calvary Bible Baptist Church in Whitefield. He will be laid to rest with a graveside service at 11 a.m., on Friday, Nov. 8 at the Hopkins Cemetery in Jefferson. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Calvary Baptist Church, or to your local animal shelter.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta, ME 04543. Condolences, and messages for his family, may be expressed by visiting stronghancock.com.
