Sarah Bailey

Sara Frances Bailey Mrs. Sara Frances Thurman Bailey, 81, longtime resident of Mitchell Avenue died Monday, February 2, 2004 in Maury Regional Hospital following a brief illness. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Ted Burleson officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends from 4 until 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to West 7th Street Church of Christ or Columbia Academy. The Maury County native was the daughter of the late Byron and Lacy Lovell Thurman. She was the wife of the late James L. Bailey, Sr., City Councilman, Vice Mayor and Mayor of Columbia from 1973 - 1985, who preceded her in death March 25, 1986. Mrs. Bailey was a homemaker but had also operated Hatcher Lane Food Market and Bailey's Grocery in the Southport Community in the 1950's and 1960's. She was a member of West Seventh Church of Christ and the Maury County Horsemen's Association. Survivors include a son, Maury County Executive James L. Bailey, Jr. of Mt. Pleasant; daughter, Judge Suzanne Bailey of Chattanooga; two grandsons, Judge Lee (Starlyn) Bailey of Columbia, Lynn Bailey Norman of Chattanooga; one granddaughter, Mary LaRue (Kevin) Sweeney of St. Petersburg, Florida; two great-grandchildren Bailey LaRue Sweeney, William Fisher Sweeney both of St. Petersburg, Florida; and one niece, Sally Burton Thurman of Columbia. Pallbearers will be Jerry Turner, Billy Thurman, J.O. Thurman, Bobby Thurman, Billy Clyde Foster, John Hickman, Jerry Brunson and Bill Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Carden, J.B. Napier, Ray Grooms, Bobby Sands, Cam Anderson, Eugene Layne, Bailey Sims, Jack Craig, Doug Thurman, Billy Thurman, II, Mark Turner, Judge Bob Jones, Henry Delk, Clyde Farris, John Gilbreath, Clinton Gilbreath, Virgil Stewart, Tommy Wolaver, Page Chamberlain, Donald Scott, State Representative Joe Fowlkes, R. Chris Albright, Sam Mairs, Dr. James Kelley, Dr. Cummins Couch, and Elders and Deacons of West Seventh Street Church of Christ.