Coleen Frances Bailey

Coleen Frances Bailey passed away at her home in Groesbeck on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at age 73.

Coleen was born August 28, 1951, in Tacoma, Washington, to Joseph McDonnell and Doris Eileen (Bussard) McDonnell. She grew up in Tacoma where she graduated from high school. As a young lady, she worked in the medical field as a phlebotomist.

She was also a representative in the Shaklee business, and while attending a meeting, she met Robert “Tony” Bailey who was a representative while he was still in the military. They combined their interests and maintained their business together with a lot of customers and 9 Shaklee representatives working under them.

Coleen and Tony were united in marriage on April 2, 1988, in Tacoma. When his job with Boeing was cut, they moved to Indiana and both attended truck driving school. They drove together, with Tony driving days while she preferred to drive at night.

Coleen stopped driving with Tony while she was raising two grandsons, who they adoped, and also being a caretaker for her Mom and Dad. During her caretaking, she also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design, between 2008 and 2010. After not finding any work with her degree, she went back to team driving with Tony.

It was typical to drive 1000 miles a day, staying out 7 weeks and home for 10 days. Their secret of getting along, while riding so close together for 24 hours a day for 19 years, was “nerf balls” (used when one said the wrong thing.)

In 2016, they decided to move from Washington where they were tired of putting double chains on the truck tires and driving on icy mountain roads. They moved to Waco and continued driving until Tony’s doctor warned him it was time to retire. They turned in the keys in July 2018, and later in 2018 they moved to Groesbeck. She continued to want to drive somewhere everyday and she was the driver.

Coleen had enjoyed collecting dragon figurines for many years and had many metal, plastic, concrete or any others she could find. After moving to Groesbeck she also began collecting chickens and roosters.

After living an exceptional life together, Coleen suffered a stroke on July 22, 2022. Robert was her loving caretaker, with a period of time in the nursing home and the past year and a half at home. She is now flying with the angels.

Coleen was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Doris McDonnell and a brother, Ross Hasse.

She is survived by her husband of 37 years, Tony Bailey; daughter, Stephani Morris and husband Victor and their children and grandchildren; son, Gregory S. Bailey and Romina and their children; and son, George A. L. Bailey and wife Amy and their children and grandchildren (for a total of 11 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren). She is also survived by her sister, Teresa McDonnell and nephew, Nathan McDonnell.