William Bailey Obituary

It is with great sadness that the family of Dr. William Arthur Bailey II announces his unexpected passing on Friday September 7, 2018 at the age of 78. He was born to William Thorne and Valerie Lyndon Bailey on August 29, 1940 in Kansas City, Kansas. Bill will be lovingly remembered by his wife Kristine, of 31 years and his children Melissa, Ann, Blair, Brock, Maxwell and Maddelyn. He also leaves behind four grandchildren, Rachel, Emilia, William, and Alpine, his nephew and niece, Christopher and Amy and his first wife Linda. He was preceded in death by his sister, Lyndon Morrison.

Dr. Bailey graduated from Hayden High School in Topeka. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas in 1962 where he received an award for outstanding achievement in chemistry. He graduated medical school at the University of Kansas in 1966 and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed his Intern and Surgical Residency at the University of Kansas. In 1968 he began service as a Naval officer with distinction. From 1968 to 1970 he served aboard the USS Tripoli as surgeon while the ship conducted wartime operations off the coast of Vietnam. He completed his Orthopedic Residency at Duke University in 1974. He joined Dr. John Wertzberger in Orthopedic practice in Lawrence that same year. He practiced for 42 years and touched the lives of countless patients before retiring from OrthoKansas in 2016.

Dr. Bailey loved his family, living in the country, hunting, fishing, his dogs, Kansas basketball, and Scotch. His sense of humor was unparalleled, and no one could tell a funnier story. He was proud to tally more legendary purchases than can be mentioned here, including but not limited to: his bulldozer, military 5-ton truck, dump truck, and a solar kiln to dry all the lumber he harvested and had milled. There was always a new project on the horizon for our Beetle.

He was truly one of a kind and we miss him.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3pm on October 6th, 2018 at The Jayhawk Club in Lawrence, KS.

Donations can be made to Team Rubicon Disaster Response through Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

For more information or to post a condolence go to warrenmcelwain.com.