John Bailey

Rev. John Warren Bailey
1923 – 2020
 

Pastor John Warren Bailey, 97, after a lifetime of faithful & dedicated service to Jesus Christ, went peacefully to sleep and awakened to glory on September 28, 2020, the Day of Atonement – Yom Kippur.
The Italian heritage of John’s immigrant grandparents going back to the early 1900’s exemplified the early traditional habits of value in a strong work ethic, family unity & togetherness. That hallmark became a family tradition which continued for more than a century, expanding to John’s grandchildren and many great grandchildren.
At the ripe age of 10, he experienced a mysterious working of the Holy Spirit – the type of encounter often referred to as the “supernatural.” After retrieving a huge chunk of Hershey’s chocolate from the cupboard kept in his Italian grandmother’s downstairs basement, he immediately grabbed the sharp chopping knife and placed the chocolate on the counter top. Positioning his fist in the air in order to deliver a mighty crushing blow to the chocolate directly below, suddenly a powerful whooshing noise stopped him. An unseen force gripped his right arm - immobilized and held it suspended mid-air. Unable to move his arm, he looked closer and noticed the blade of the knife was sharp-side up. Had he pounded his fist against the knife with the force intended…it was at that very moment deep within his inner sanctum he responded to the divine calling to serve the Almighty as a full-time career missionary.
While attending Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL, he met and married the only woman he ever kissed, Ruth. He received his bachelor’s degree at Western Michigan University. Shortly thereafter, they adopted their first child, and at an ordination service held on Thursday, May 3, 1951, John was examined by the Council of 16 – comprised of several pastors from Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, and Southern New York State. Following this rigorous examination, he was deemed to have met the requirements for Ordination as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After attending language school, the young family served as missionaries in San Jose & Quepos, Costa Rica, under the auspices of the Central American Mission board founded in 1890 by Dr. C.I. Scofield.
During their tenure on the foreign field, John contracted tuberculosis, was forced to leave the beloved people of Costa Rica and the mission he established. The heartache of paradise lost was compounded by the debilitating illness, yet God’s hand of protection remained upon him as he pursued serving his community as Precinct Chairman, President of the TB Association, CPCU Agent for Allstate Insurance Company, and established the first Protestant Chaplain’s program at RE Thomason General Hospital in El Paso, all while performing duties as Associate Pastor to Hillside Bible Presbyterian Church. These duties in addition to faithfully conducting two separate services each week for more than 30 years, ministering to families in the extremely poverty-stricken village of Zaragoza, Mexico. After retiring from Allstate, he moved to Rio Rancho, NM, where he served an additional 25 years as an Associate Pastor, planting several church ministries on behalf of the GARBC, delivering donated food and bread items to single parent homes, the profoundly visually impaired, and numerous others in desperate need living in surrounding areas of Albuquerque.
A humble man, Rev. Bailey was recognized in 1993 by the New Mexico Secretary of State, for his “exemplary dedication and service in enhancing the quality of life among all peoples.”
For the adored grand-daughters he raised, along with many more beloved great-grandchildren as well as great-great grandchildren, “Grampa” will be sorely missed.
Due to COVID-19, a private-immediate family FB Messenger virtual viewing with a time of caring & sharing to honor Rev. Bailey, Wednesday, September 30th. Final farewell at the yet-to-be determined “Celebration of Life”, to be officiated by his son-in-law. Interment at the Vista Verde Memorial Garden Cemetery in Rio Rancho, NM.
Life verse: John 17:3 – And this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:
Associated Baptists for World Evangelism: https://www.abwe.org/work/missionaries
Sudan Interior Missions https://www.sim.org
The Jesus Film Project:
https://www.jesusfilm.org/how-to-help/ways-to-donate.html
Hacienda HealthCare Intermediate Care Facility for the Intellectually Disabled: https://www.haciendainc.org