Vernon "Pete" Bailey

Vernon “Pete” Bailey died on June 30, 2024, in Rocklin, California.

He was born December 23, 1932, in Henry County, Indiana. He was the youngest of seven sons born to Emmett and Anna Mae Bailey, all of whom pre-deceased him. Older brothers were Ambrose (Lois), Howard (Annalee), Homer (Gerry), Floyd (La Vaughn), Kenneth (Betty), and Ralph.

Pete graduated from Spiceland High School in 1951 and entered the U.S. Army in 1953 where he served for two years. Following his service, he attended Ball State (Teacher’s College, at the time) graduating in 1958 with a major in English and a minor in history. For eight years he taught high school English in Connersville then at Eastern Howard High School in Greentown. After his teaching career, he worked for 28 years in the home office of Indianapolis Life Insurance Company. He served several positions at ILICO before retiring in 1993 as Vice President of Marketing Services.

In 1967 he met and married Louise Grube (now deceased) of Wheatfield, Indiana. They became the parents of three daughters: Laura, Sandra, and Amy. Grandchildren are Julia Bell, Emma and Colin Stoelk, and Kat White.

Pete will be remembered as a man of good humor. His love of books, history, public television, and learning was exceeded only by his love of family.

Visitation will be at the Nora Chapel of Leppert Funeral Home in Indianapolis on Saturday, July 27 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Burial next to his beloved wife at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery on North Haverstick Road will immediately follow.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, an organization Pete supported in the years following his wife’s diagnosis. To share a memory, please visit www.leppertmortuary.com.