~ IN MEMORY ~
EAL/NWA/DAL
Captain William C. Bailey, USNR (Ret.)
March 10, 1950 — August 27, 2026
Captain Bailey began his time with Northwest
Airlines 07-07-1989 and retired with Delta Air Lines. He is survived by his wife Katherine, and by his
children and their families.
Services will be held this Friday, September 4th
in Florida…please see obituary below or visit the funeral home website for
details.
PCN memorial site
https://www.degusipefuneralhome.com/obituaries?query=bailey
Captain William C. Bailey, USNR (Ret.) passed
away peacefully at his home in Longwood, Florida on August 27, 2026. A native
of Oak Park, Illinois, Bill attended Fenwick High School, where he was a
standout athlete in basketball and golf. He graduated from the United States
Naval Academy in 1972, proudly serving as captain of the Naval Academy Golf
Team.
After graduation, Bill served aboard the USS Kretchmer before
earning his naval aviator wings in 1974. Flying the A-7E Corsair, he completed
deployments to the North Atlantic and Mediterranean with the
"Marauders" of VA-82 aboard the USS Nimitz. The “Marauders” earned
the Battle "E" and the Admiral Wade McClusky Award. He later served
as an instructor pilot with VA-174, transitioned to the Naval Reserve in 1979,
and joined the "Blue Dolphins" of VA-203. During his tenure, the unit
earned multiple top squadron honors, and Captain Bailey transitioned to the
F/A-18 Hornet before assuming command of the squadron in 1990. Bill cherished
the many friendships he made during his Naval career.
In addition to his distinguished military service, Captain
Bailey pursued a successful commercial aviation career, flying as a pilot for
Eastern Airlines for 10 years, Northwest Airlines for 10 years, and concluding
his career with Delta Air Lines until his retirement. At each airline he
enjoyed working in the training department in addition to flying.
Outside of his career, Bill was happiest on the golf course,
spending time with his family, working in his yard, traveling with his wife,
and following the Jacksonville Jaguars. He will be remembered for his
unwavering integrity, his kind nature towards everyone he met, his deep
devotion to his family, and, most of all, his wonderful laugh.
Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 49 years, Katherine;
their children, Brian (Jackie) and Allison Grant (Jeffery); and their seven
cherished grandsons: Brody, Holden, Reed, Ian, Declan, Ryan, and Wesley. He is
also survived by his siblings, Jack (Emma), Robert (Shelly), Tim (Anne), Dan,
and Mary Beth Catenzaro (Frank).
A Mass will be held on Friday, September 4, at Annunciation
Catholic Church, 1020 Montgomery Road, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, at 10:00
AM. Interment with military honors will take place at the Jacksonville National
Cemetery at a later date. Friends are welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family
kindly requests that donations be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
or a charity of your choice.
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