Elizabeth Bailey

Dr Elizabeth Dowell Bailey MD, age 89, died February 12, 2021 at the Johnson City Medical Center.

She was the daughter of Minnie Katherine Davis Dowell and Charlie L. Dowell of Knoxville, TN.

Elizabeth Bailey was born in Knoxville TN. She attended UT Knoxville her Freshman and Sophomore year. Taking the MCAT after 1 premed class, she scored so high she was admitted directly to UT Memphis Medical School. Upon graduation from Medical School, UT Knoxville gave her an honorary degree in PreMed. She was the 5th woman in the State of Tennessee to receive her Medical License. Dr Bailey did her Pediatric Residency at John Gaston Hospital in Memphis. She met her husband, Dr. William P. Bailey, Jr of Johnson City, in Medical School. While he served in the US Navy, she worked for the Head Start Program from John Gaston. Her territory was the Mississippi River to Jackson Tn, from the bottom of the state to the top, which she did in her station wagon. Following her marriage, she worked as a pediatrician at Herman Keefer Hospital in Detroit, while her husband completed his residency at Henry Ford Hospital.

In 1963, the Doctors Bailey moved to Johnson City. She worked for the State of Tennessee, as a physician in the Head Start program, doing house calls in her station wagon, until the program was built up enough to build the office building and hire a fulltime doctor. To make it easier on the women behind her, Elizabeth's salary was enough to renew her medical license each year.

Among her list of community services: she served as the president of the PTA at Stratton Elementary School, and secretary of the Science Hill High School PTA. She was a member of First United Methodist Church from 1962 until her death. There she taught numerous Sunday School Classes from 1st grade to senior adults. She belonged to UMW and served as a secretary. She was Regent of the Ann Robertson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a member of the Monday Club, serving as president in 2007. She served on the Boards of Directors of the Children's Home, and Girls, Inc. She was a volunteer, memorial services, at the VA (she was a volunteer attendee of funerals - no one should be buried alone).

Among her other organizations were SMOTJ, Clan Johnston/e of America, Clan MacDougal, the W-U-J Medical Alliance, and the Junior League of Johnson City.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother John Robert Dowell and her husband. She is survived by her children Katherine Elizabeth Bailey, Rebecca Bailey Moore and husband Bruce, William Perry Bailey, III, Sarah Frances Bailey and wife Jill Ray, 10 grandchildren, and three great grandchildren, her brother James D. Dowell and wife Mary Bealer Dowell, and multiple nieces and nephews.

A receiving of friends will be held at Morris-Baker Funeral Home on Sunday, February 14, 2021 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. A private, family only burial will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be sent to: Holston Home For Children 404 Holston Dr., Greeneville, TN 37743