Keith Stewart Bailey

Keith Stewart Bailey of Odessa, Texas passed away May 10, 2020, just three days after his 92 birthday. His ashes, along with the ashes of Novilene Gwendolyn Bailey, the love of his life and mother of his children, who passed away on the first anniversary of 9/11, will be spread together during a future memorial ceremony.

Keith was born in Big Spring, Texas, on May 7, 1928, to Nile and Lena Bailey, where he grew up, went to school and worked on the family farm. As a teenager he met his sweetheart Novilene, known to everyone later as Nova, in Kermit, Texas, while working for Texas Electric as a lineman. They met in the soda shop where Nova was working as a waitress. At the age of 17, they married Sept. 3, 1945, and were married for 57 years. They had their first born, a boy named Bobby Lee, Jan. 12, 1947, and their second baby boy named Mickey Stewart on Sept. 25, 1948.

Keith went to work for Western Glass and Mirror in Big Spring, where he learned the glass trade. Eventually, the family moved to Plainview, Texas, where he became an assistant manager at Plainview Plate Glass and Mirror.

In 1956, Keith was offered a managerial position in Odessa at a brand new auto glass facility named Adams Avenue Glass Company, owned by Odessa Glass and Mirror, which was right next door. He eventually became part owner of Odessa Glass and was manager over the whole facility.

In 1978, Keith sold out of the glass business and

became a salesman for American Amicable Life Insurance Company, where he remained until he retired.

Keith had been a Boy Scout leader, a Sunday School teacher, a member of the Odessa Optimist Club where he was partly responsible for the founding of Optimist Park on Grandview in Odessa, had volunteered for the Odessa Chamber of Commerce for many years, and had worked for the West Texas Relays since 1956 and was a Chamber Ambassador with his wife, Nova.

Keith is survived by his son, Bobby Bailey and wife Debbie, both of Odessa, sister Mary Shanks of San Angelo, brother Roy Bailey of Big Spring, sister Nila Allen of Big Spring, grandchildren Gregory Keith Bailey, and Kira Bailey Steadmon, who visited him twice a day and aided in his care during his last few months. Also, he is survived by Kira’s husband, Aaron, and two great grandchildren, Nykayla and younger sister Robyn, who shares the same birthday as Keith. He was preceded in death by his wife Novilene, son Mickey Stewart Bailey, brother Euell Bailey and sister Mona Blackwell, along with his parents, Lena and Nile Bailey.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the staff at Parks Senior Living and Rehab in Odessa for their care and kindness during the last months of his life. Special thanks and gratitude goes to Miriam and Brandon Scott for the extraordinary care after his stroke and upon his return from rehab at Parks. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church of Odessa, where he had been a member since 1956.

Paid Obituary