Gailon W. Bailey Jr.

Our wonderful husband, father, and grandfather, Gailon Willis Bailey Jr., 85, of Idaho Falls, passed away peacefully September 11, 2021, at Morning Star Assisted Living from Alzheimer’s. He was under the care of his loving family and nurses.

Gailon was born January 25, 1936, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, to Gailon Willis Bailey and Willena Hartop Bailey. Soon after birth his family moved to southern California where he graduated high school in 1953, attended Pasadena City College and joined the Army National Guard. He made many lifelong friends at school and in the Army where he enjoyed driving tanks.

In 1970, he was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after meeting with the missionaries. He was a devoted member and bore his testimony through his example of service to others.

On June 10, 1971, he married Claire Germaine Alice Drolet in the Los Angeles Temple. Gailon and Germaine made their home in Ventura, California, where they raised five children and Gailon worked as a firefighter, commuting to the Pasadena Fire Department for 25 years. He was well known at the fire station for his pranks, homemade mini-cannon, and driving skills. After retiring, he moved his family to Spring, Texas, where he used his talents in various job adventures and expanded his circle of friends. Gailon and Germaine later moved to Idaho Falls to be closer to their family after 20 years in Texas.

Gailon enjoyed working with his hands, from building his own home to working on anything mechanical, including vintage cars, VW Beetles, motorcycles, tanks, school buses and everything in between. He was a jack of all trades and was often found in the garage making repairs or organizing his many tools. He had a passion for driving vehicles. Whether it was driving tanks in the army, fire trucks as a firefighter, buses for the school district (he’d always be sure to drive through the big puddles) or his car as a courier, he never tired of it. He spent a year as a truck driver in Iraq, where at age 72, he was the oldest contractor on the ground (they lovingly referred to him as “Kid”). He also surprised us this last spring by taking off on one last joy ride — he simply loved to drive.

He was also well known for his love for his country and his loyalty to his friends and family, often traveling great distances with Germaine to make visits to reminisce.

Gailon is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Claire Germaine Bailey of Idaho Falls; daughter, Melanie Bailey of Houston, TX; son, Gailon (Ellen) Bailey of Newport, OR; daughter, Amy (Seth) Neilson of Eagle, ID; daughter, Laura (Boone) Hodges of Bedford, WY; and grandchildren, Emma, Avery, Kannon, Dillon, Eden, Taylor, Ian, Ben, Camille, Britta, Bailey, Tyler, Jacob, and Nathan.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gailon and Willena Bailey; and daughter, Kelley Jeanne Rich Bailey.

Services will be held at a later date.