Loren E. Bailey

Loren E. Bailey, age 76, of Orlando, FL passed away on Friday, July 19, 2024 at AdventHealth Winter Park Hospital.

Loren was born November 18, 1947, the son of John Owen Bailey and Arlena (Lambert) Bailey Crouch in Ironton, Ohio. What a lot of people don't know is that he was a preemie -he was in an incubator until Christmas Eve 1947 when his daddy told the doctors, "My son's going home for Christmas." His family moved to Ashland, Kentucky for a short period of time. His grandmother was Nellie Lambert he called her "MawMaw". She helped raise him and he loved her dearly. She passed in 1960.

Loren graduated from high school at Paul Blazer High School in Ashland, KY in 1965. He went to and graduated from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, Class of 1972, where he earned a BA and MA degree in music. He taught music, was a band director and he was in the Air Force band. He played clarinet and other instruments, but the clarinet was his favorite. Loren proudly served his country as an Air Force Sergeant in Vietnam. When he returned to the states, he continued his service in the Air Force Band. He was also a member of the American Legion and Masonic Lodge 69.

He later moved to Florida, which is where he met Joan Benner. He and Joan were married September 15, 1995 after living together for 11 years. He helped in raising Joan's two children, Wayne and Pam, and loved them as if they were his own. He watched our family grow - we have six grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and one on the way, he loved each and everyone of them dearly. He treasured the time he spent with family and friends.
Loren also loved cars, gardening and working with his hands. He was a mechanic with his dad. They had a shop together in Ohio. He sold cars at Orange Buick here in Orlando, and was also the manager of an AutoZone and Rose Automotive. He retired from Auto Machine to open his own business, L & J Restorations, where he did upholstery work on classic cars. Loren restored a 1952 Buick Riviera - he did the motor work and painted it, and he and Joan did the interior together. They loved taking the '52 Buick to car shows locally, and in Georgia and Mississippi. They made many good friends cruising: Obie, Tom, Harold, Larry, Don, John, and too many others to name.

Loren was an avid animal lover. He rescued a dog he named Teddy, and brought him home from Vietnam. Over the years the family had multiple dogs and cats and grand-dogs, both in Orlando and Mississippi. He fed stray cats and took one in and named it after his best friend, Obie, calling the male cat Lil Obie. Lil Obie is still with us and he misses his daddy.

Everyone that knew Loren knew he was a big, strong man, until this illness, when he lost over 100 pounds in a little more than 2 1/2 years. But no matter how ill he was - he loved his family, he loved his home that he built, he loved his friends, and he loved his cat.

Loren was a kind man with a big heart and will be greatly missed.

Loren is survived by his wife of 29 years, Joan Bailey of Orlando; son, Robert Wayne Gilbert of Biloxi, MS; daughter, Pamela Schallert and her husband, Darren, of Orlando; six grandchildren, Cade Gilbert and his wife, Gabby, Hailey Thompson-Morales, and her husband, Christian Morales, Bailey Gilbert and her boyfriend, Andrew Mastrapa, Jackson Gilbert, Emme L. Schallert, and Lauren E. Schallert; and two great-grandchildren, Miles Morales, and Luke Gilbert.

In addition, he is also survived by his cousins Donna Bledsoe & Vivian Brooks of Ohio; his sisters-in-law, Ellen Huey and her husband, George, of Zionsville, PA, Barbara Early and her husband, James (Bird) of Van Wert, OH, and Dolores (Lorie) Benner of Cridersville, OH; and many nieces and nephews.

Loren was proceeded in death by his parents, father John Owen Bailey and mother Arlena (Lambert) Bailey Crouch; his grandmother, Nellie (MawMaw) Lambert; his aunt, Ruby Toney; his cousin, Johnny Bob Toney; his stepfather, Albert Crouch; his father-in-law, Webster Benner Jr.; his mother-in-law, Dorothy Benner; and many of his cruising friends, including his best friend, Obie Johnson.

Funeral Services will be held on Friday, July 26, 2024 at 4:00 pm at Newcomer Funeral Home - East Orlando Chapel, 895 S. Goldenrod Rd, Orlando with Sheryl Chernault officiating.

Military honors from the United States Air Force Honor Guard will be rendered at 4:00 pm.

Services will be livestreamed and can be viewed by clicking here and will be available up for viewing up to 90 days after the service.

The family will receive friends and visitors on Friday, July 26 preceding the service from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm at the funeral home.

To share your memories of Loren, or leave a special message of condolence for his family, please visit the guestbook below.