Buster Burnie Bailey

Buster Bailey – Brother, Uncle, Great Uncle and Friend – by Dawna Lampert

Buster had the most wonderful smile and it was music to your ears to hear him laugh! Buster loved life and enjoyed taking many pictures over the years. From my youngest memories, Buster always was behind the camera. While I did not know Buster when he was younger, but from the many pictures, I can tell he was a sharp dresser and a lady’s man! He enjoyed spending time with his family and was always the first one to send a card for every special occasion. You were lucky if over the years you’ve received one of his ‘backwards letters’ or cards. As we spent a few hours with Buster during his last week, we reminisced over the many cars, especially convertibles that he had owned over the years. He was very fond of a white 1961 Ford Convertible. We spoke about his career as a carpenter and how he had learned much of the trade from his father at the family farm in Burnsville and then from his brother-in-law (my granddaddy) Ray Stiles. He fondly remembered being a chef in the winter months at Waffle House and how they loved his coleslaw and potato salad. He laughed as he said they ate it as fast as he made it. I loved how he said he’d have to peel a whole bushel basket of potatoes every day. For most of Buster’s life he struggled with vision issues, this loss of sight would eventually slow him down completely. If it wasn’t for his eye sight, I believe Buster would have worked until his Lord called him home! He loved his part time job at CVS that he worked until a just few years ago, when he could no longer safely drive. BUT if you every spoke to Buster – he was always researching and writing papers on the various eye diseases. Buster loved to read, research and write, I’m sure many of you have the various papers he wrote, one I received several times was simply titled ‘The Flag’. Buster always made sure everyone received a gift, one that he had truly thought about. One of the gifts that I always loved and still treasure was his gifts of coins and $2.00 Bills. I’m sure many of us have the coin set from the year that we were born! I still have a few of the bills that Buster sent me over the years. While Buster may no longer physically be with us, I know each of us have many fond memories that will allow him to live on in our hearts.

Buster Bernie Bailey
Passed away on Friday, May 1, 2020. He was born on April 27, 1931, in Bee Log, North Carolina. He was the son of the late Raleigh Austin and Ellar Bailey of Burnsville, North Carolina and preceded in death
by brothers Anderson Bailey, George Bailey and sisters Catherine Bailey, Dorothy Bailey, Fannie Stiles and Mae Stiles. Buster is survived by sisters Ethel King and Winnie Metcalf of North Carolina and a host of neices, nephews and friends. In 1953 he moved to Alexandria, VA, for a career as a carpenter. Fall of 1984 he retired from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers after 23 years of Federal Service. A private gravesite service and his interment will be at Mt. Comfort Cemetery, Alexandria, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Engleside Baptist Church & Christian School, 8428
Highland Lane, Alexandria, VA 22309 in memory of Buster’s Life.