Carol Wallace Bailey of Micaville, North Carolina passed away peacefully at her home in the early morning hours of Tuesday April 21, 2026 at the age of 86.
Carol was born on July 10, 1939 to Charles V. Wallace and Elsie Winchester Wallace in Stearns, Kentucky. Carol is survived by her husband of almost 70 years, William Thomas Bailey. Carol and Tom were blessed with three sons and one daughter, all of whom have been very devoted to their mother and likewise, she to them.
Surviving Carol are her sons: Thomas Bailey (Tina) of Huntersville, North Carolina, Andrew Bailey (Jean) of Santa Rosa California, Patrick Bailey (Laura) of Huntersville, North Carolina and daughter, Katy Bailey of Newland, North Carolina. Also surviving Carol is her sister, Sue Rogers (John) of Cincinnati, Ohio. Carol was preceded in death by sister Elizabeth and brothers Charles and William.
At an early age, Carol developed an affection for the beauty of her natural surroundings and soon found that she could capture that beauty on film with her camera and on canvas with her oil and acrylic paints. Even though she had charge of four young children at the time, she enrolled full-time at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and six long years later she had earned both her BFA and MFA degrees. She then began a 22-year career as a Studio Art Teacher in public schools in Ohio. She completed this extremely rewarding career with the satisfaction in knowing that she had passed on to many, many youngsters her knowledge and appreciation of all things in nature.
A great number of Carol’s fondest memories came from the many summer trips to the western mountains in Wyoming, Colorado and Montana and the uniquely beautifull and scapes found in Utah, Nevada and Arizona. Many slide-film photographs which have provided subject matter for a lot of her paintings still occupy shelf space in her studio. The same is true of the mountains found in Western North Carolina. Several of her works of art are reflections of her own front yard.
Carol was extremely fond of all her grandchildren and never missed an opportunity to pass along to them just how important it is to enjoy life. Carol was the loving “Grammy” to Nicholas Bailey, Zachary Bailey, Joshua Bailey, Alec Bailey, Eliza Bailey, Sarah Bailey, Charlie Bailey, Corby Bailey, Jordan Thompson, Anna Thompson, and Gracie Thompson. Five (soon to be six) great grandchildren will also share memories of “Great Grammy Carol.” Carol Wallace Bailey earned the respect of those who met her and was an incredible role model, not only for her students over her teaching career but, most importantly, the next generation of the extended Bailey family. She will be missed by all of us.
A Memorial Service for Carol will be held at 1p.m. on Friday, May 15th, 2026 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, located at 372 Reservoir Road in Burnsville, North Carolina.
You may send the family an online condolence at www.yanceyfuneralservice.com. Yancey Funeral Services is serving the Keefer family.