Merritt Palmer Bailey Jr

Merritt Palmer Bailey Jr passed away March 16. 2024 in Chocowinity North Carolina. He was 85 years old and was the oldest of four children. Merritt "Skeeter" was born on September 18, 1938, in Roanoke Virgina, to Margaret Gibson Maxwell a homemaker and high school mathematics teacher and to Merritt Palmer Bailey, citrus grove owner and landscaper.

Skeeter spent his early childhood in the Roanoke valley area where he had a large extended family. His parents then moved to Santa Barbra California where they owned a large Citrus orchard. As a young teenager, his family relocated to Salem Virgina where he attended Andrew Lewis High School ,where he played football and was king his junior year. He graduated in 1956. After that he was the 31st member of his family to attend Roanoke College and was a member of The Tau Chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Skeeter was married in 1962 to Sharon Lee Sponsler “Shari” in Salem, Virgina. Later that year he joined the United States Army and was stationed with his wife at the Army's Saumur Signal Depot in Saumur, France. Their first child, Mary Margaret "Boo" Bailey was born during their stay there in 1963. After his service he came home to Salem and worked for GE before starting his lengthy career with Hewlett Packard. After moving to Richmond Virgina his son, Merritt Palmer Bailey III was born in 1965.

Skeeter worked on the service side of the computer industry, for HP for over 30 years. During this time, he moved to Chester, Virginia to raise his family. He attended St Peters Church, became involved with Kiwanis, and the Lions club. It was around this time that he started to serve on the board of his Family’s wildlife foundation  and started his lifelong passion of  Snow Skiing which led to many trips and adventures. His transfer to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1983 was a pivotal time in his career where he moved into management. In Later years they would build a house on Lake Gaston, where he became known on the lake for riding his Stand-up Jet Ski. In 1992, Skeeter was blessed with his only grandchild, William Christopher "Chris" Whichard.

After retiring from Hewlett Packard, he went to Florida to get certified to service and repair personal watercrafts which he did for 3 summers at Lake Gaston, North Carolina. Eventually they moved their full time  to enjoy waterfront living. Soon afterwards a second home was purchased in Bradenton, Florida where he enjoyed mild temperatures in the winters. For many years Skeeter served on the homeowner’s boards of all three residents, as well as the boards at his multiple churches and was a trustee for a family foundation. In 2020 his first great-grandson William Alexander Whichard was born. Sadly after 50 years of marriage Shair died in Bradenton. Florida. Skeeter moved to Chocowinity, NC in 2021 to live on the Pamlico River. To live again on the water. In 2023, his great granddaughter Bella Eve Whichard joined the family.

If you knew Skeeter Bailey, then you knew someone who loved to live life. He when out of his way to help family and friends somehow, he always had the right tool. He continuously wanted to have a great meal and if it included steak, all the better. You could find him ready to ride a bike, kayak, snow ski or jet ski. You never had to talk him into taking the boat out, playing with dogs and any child who showed up at his house. Most days you could find him outside, at the boathouse, in the garage or on the driveway washing his cars. He possessed the ability to make you feel at home and part of any group. Skeeter was always ready to have a drink, grill a steak or sit back to watch the sunset.

In addition to his, children, grandchild, and great-grandchildren mentioned above, Skeeter is survived by His Brothers, Gordon M Bailey, (Joanne), John M Bailey (Joyce),His brother-in- law Jim Barbarella ,his sisters-in-laws, Mary Jo Haut, Susan Baird, and Lorene Sponsler. His nieces, Besty Baird, Mary Jump, Donna Fahey, Amy Barbarella, and nephews; David Haut, John Haut, Eric Haut, John Maxwell, John Sponsler, Ed Sponsler, Mathew Barbarella and Bob Sponsler and many other relatives and friends who will cherish his Memory.

Skeeter was a devoted brother, husband, father, neighbor, and friend. He has joined his parents ,wife and sister Margaret in Heaven.Visitation will be Saturday, April 20, 2024, from 2:00 P.M. to 2:30 P.M. with Services to follow at 2:30 P.M. Which can be viewed online if you cannot attend at Lotz Funeral Home,1330 East Main Street, Salem, Virgina 24153, 540-389-9208

In lieu of flowers, the family requests you treat yourself to a drink, have a nice meal and think of him as you enjoy the simple things of life.

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