Clarence "Bungo" Bailey's Obituary
Clarence Charles Bailey ("Bungo"), 68, passed away early Monday morning, September 10, 2018, surrounded by his family. Bungo was born March 20, 1950 to Clarence P Bailey and Florence Bailey (Arndt) on the family farm in Berks County, PA and was joined by his sister in 1953. He grew up and worked on the family farm, partnering with his father to operate it after high school. Throughout high school he was an active FFA member and graduated from Hamburg High School in the Class of 1969. He was an active member of the Shartlesville, PA Jaycees and married the love of his life, Joan Hamm, his best friend's younger sister, on August 9, 1975. He designed their first home on sketch paper and built it on the Bailey family farm in 1976. One of their first pieces of furniture was the corner cupboard he made in his make-shift wood shop to hold Joan's dishes. Bungo farmed, in partnership with his father, over 1,200 acres with his beloved refurbished Oliver and White tractors while finishing hogs on contract and managing a 80 head cow-calf Angus operation until the early 1990's. He then drove an 18-wheeler Peterbilt with Streamside Farms before joining White Oak Mills. Bungo hauled hogs across the nation in what was undoubtedly the cleanest and most polished 18-wheeler that ever crossed the nation in a fashion and presentation that only an old Pennsylvanian Dutchman German can do. He courageously and faithfully moved his family of six and over 100 head of hogs to Southern Iowa in August 1993. The move was made over three days and 1,000 miles despite the "Floods of 1993" to Wayne County where his family has flourished. While managing a 100 gestation to finish hog operation in the early 90's he established his family in Cambria, Iowa while working as a hired hand for a local farmer. He then moved his family and hog operation to Seymour, Iowa and then settled in Promise City, Iowa after selling their hog operation. Once established in Promise City, he worked construction and got back to his roots setting up a 75 head cow-calf operation. His German fortitude and resourcefulness served him well and he established Bungo Construction, working with his sons and daughter in various capacities throughout the years building custom cabinets, designing homes on scratch paper, pouring concrete, and designing and building masonry marvels. He left construction and masonry briefly to return to his 18-wheeler life in 2012 with multiple haulers, and soon returned to construction and carpentry until his illness diagnosis in March 2017. No man ever worked so hard and faithfully until he couldn't. And then he faithfully took up "chair sentry duty" very seriously as only a German can. He would be the first to say, "If you are going to do something, by #@$%!, do it #[emailprotected]# RIGHT!" No man ever said anything as directly or well or like a"nixnootz" as Bungo did. PA Dutch jargon is the only proper way to describe the old Dutchman he was. Gut looft du. When Bungo wasn't on the job site, hauling hay, or tending to his cattle, he could be found fishing, hunting, gardening, or asking Joan to join him on a lazy "Sunday afternoon drive" complete with a soft serve ice cream stop. No man could catch or skin a bigger catfish, shoot sharper, tell a better story, or plant and harvest a more plentiful garden than Bungo Bailey. Like any resourceful old German, he worked the land, raised and processed animals, and provided for his family of 6 every day and made it look easy. Bungo Bailey knew not a stranger, was a self-taught jack of all trades, and master of much. You knew where you stood with him, and no one worked harder, was more resourceful, or handier. There never was a more genuine or humble fellow. Left to remember him is his devoted and his self-proclaimed "best woman ever" wife, Joan Bailey (Hamm); daughter, Jenny Louise Leonard and grandchildren Faith and Eli (Norwalk, IA); son, Charles Paul Bailey (wife, Tasha) and grandchildren, the late Zoey, and Madeline, McKenna, and Drake of Promise City; son, Paul Clarence Bailey (wife, Jill), and grandchild, Refina of Promise City; son, George Raymond Bailey (wife, Amber), and grandchildren, Reggie and baby Bailey of Corydon. He is preceded in death by his father and sister. Many, many thanks to Dr. Baker, Dr. Wells, nursing staff of Wayne County Hospital, the congregation of Millerton Methodist Church, care coordinator Tasha Bailey, Hospice Care Services of Centerville, and all those who visited, encouraged, and loved Bungo and his family every step of every day. You are his family. Funeral service will be 10:30 am, Saturday, September 15, 2018 at Thomas Funeral Home in Corydon. Interment will immediately follow in Corydon Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, September 14, 2018 at Thomas Funeral Home with the family present from 5-8 pm. In lieu of flowers, a memorial can be sent to the family for a one-time Memorial Scholarship to be awarded to a Wayne County FFA senior. Condolences may be shared at www.thomasfh.com or facebook.com/thomasfuneralhome. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Clarence "Bungo" Bailey please visit our Sympathy Store. Cemetery Details Corydon Cemetery S. West St. & Co Park Road
Corydon, IA 50060 Visitation SEP 14. 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM (CDT) Thomas Funeral Home~Corydon 303 E. JeffersonCorydon, IA 50060[emailprotected] Funeral Service SEP 15. 10:30 AM (CDT) Thomas Funeral Homes - Corydon 303 E. JeffersonCorydon, IA 50060[emailprotected]
What’s your fondest memory of Clarence?
What’s a lesson you learned from Clarence?
Share a story where Clarence's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Clarence you’ll never forget.
How did Clarence make you smile?