John Booth

Keith and I attended First Methodist Church together for 10 years and had many classes together.  Keith was outwardly fun and easy going, but he also had an intensity and determination that I admired. Two memories of Keith stand out for me. One was his skill with the French horn, a very difficult instrument to play well. Keith mastered it and created a beautiful sound. He regularly contributed solos to the band's symphonic performances in the spring.  The other was his athleticism and a couple of wonderful exploits on the football field. He played at a category way above his size because he had extraordinary reflexes and focus. I remember that hit that Greg Hellinghausen mentions ... I can still hear the pop from the collision. Most impressive, however, was in a game with something at stake perhaps during our senior year  (sorry I can't remember that much detail). From their own 30 yardline the opposing team's lightning fast halfback broke through the defensive line, got behind the linebackers and headed for the goal line. Every empirical measure and his reputation said that this kid could have always beaten Keith in any straight-up footrace.  But Keith, propelled by guts and adrenaline, chased him down from ten yards behind and made the tackle, preventing the touchdown. It was the single most impressive athletic feat I have ever personally witnessed. I have told this story many times as an example of how determination can lift us above our normal limits to true excellence.  Thank you, Keith, for being a kind friend, a nice guy, and a great model for others.

Keith Coleman

We always had a big laugh in coach Ethridge's world history class when he would call on "Keith" to answer a question , since there was three "Keiths" in the class.

John Beezley

First time I met Keith was shortly after I moved to Monahans and was walking to school one morning.  He stopped and offered me a ride in his brother's new '62 Black SS Impala 409.  I had never ridden in this kind of machine and I asked him to show what it could do.  He told me to grab the "Oh Shit" handle just above the glove compartment and then he punched it....just for a few seconds.  As the smoke from the burning rubber cleared, we were overpowered by the flashing lights and siren of the Monahans finest.  I don't remember the consequences, but I figured Keith would make sure he cut a wide swath around me forevermore.  Nevertheless, we became closer friends thru school, baseball, and foot ball, etc. and I grew to respect him for his determination and many talents.

On the other hand,  Keith taught me a bad habit which I maintained for years.  In high school, Keith could shell, eat, and spit out sunflower seeds faster than any big time baseball player living today.  He got me hooked on them too and I ate them off and on for years.  After I got many years older, my front teeth starting getting thin and chipping so I went to the Dentist.  His first question was:  Did you ever eat sun flower seeds?  Later on at Gerber, I learned that we used sunflower seed hulls to "sandblast" the slag off the welds inside our stainless steel pipes because the hulls were so abrasive.  Bottom line, every time the dentist needs to redo my front teeth, I am reminded of  my old friend , Keith Bailey.

Even after we graduated and were attending college, Keith and I kept crossing paths.  Both of us came back to Monahans to make a little money by roughnecking for Parker Drilling during the summer.  For at least one summer, maybe two,Keith and I worked second shift toghether.  When our shift ended and Keith and I got back to town, we would hit McLains for a cup of coffee about 11:45 or so AM.  About once or twice a week, we would splurge and buy a chicken fried steak with all the fixin's.  ( I still can't make chicken fried steaks that taste as good as those ).  Keith and I would end up sitting at McLains til they closed  (or they run us out) talking and laughing about something.  When you spend a lot of time working on a drilling rig floor with someone, you get to know them pretty well. 

After that, I lost contact with Keith but I will always hold him fondly in my memory.  

Randy McNerlin

Ah, Keith Bailey....what a unique individual.  Not a mean bone in that body but he could pop you on the football field.

He personally made the French Horn cool.

His comic timing was spot on.  That open hearted but wry grin frequently made me laugh at a most inappropriate time.

I really admired how effortlessly he mastered the art of not taking himself too seriously.

Probably knew the guy about 60 years. I was always glad to see him coming and I am very sad to see him go.

Anne Loftin (Ball)

Keith would be (is, I am sure) thrilled to know that his classmates remember him so fondly and in such great detail. Me too, Keith. But my memories are more recent....as Keith's phone friend. We talked pretty regularly of late, and it was always a conversation that called for a glass of wine, and slowing down to listen. See, Keith's conversations were more like soliloquies.....pure stream of consciousness....and your job is just to jump in the stream and let it take you wherever it flows. Really fun. Lots of times he quoted from songs – he knew a bunch of the words; sometimes he would break into a strong rendition of “Wolverton Mountain” and my job was just to sing backup. Lately he was rockin' the Everly Brothers pretty heavy. The guy had some real joy in his heart, and he had some longings, too.

He was looking forward to being a grandfather, and he did get to meet Austin Reed Payton once, Jerry Lewis tells me. He wanted to get a keyboard and start playing again. He wanted to travel to Austin and visit his old haunts. He was reading Mother Earth and thinking about a garden. He especially wanted to come to the 50^th reunion and see his old pals. He often relived the good time he had at the 40^th, when he held court with friends....girlfriends, that is: Bev, Janet, Ann Kelley. Telling some crazy story as only Keith Bailey could tell a story – about his buttons being buttoned the wrong way. How can that be funny? It was hilarious.

Keith didn't stick around long after he got sick. But his kids took really good care of him, and Jerry Lewis was a true friend to Keith and a mentor to his kids. He received phone calls and cards from 65er's and even though he was a tad cranky at being so confined, I know he felt loved. I figure he had a great one-liner for his exit – wish I could have heard it. I really miss you, Keith.

Fred Chaney

Gary Wingo

I will truly miss my good friend, Keith Bailey.

Sara Flores (Gilbert)

My best memories of Keith were when we were in Jr high.  He rode his scooter over to my house  on Franklin St several times a week and we played the piano, laughed, talked, always had a good time just hanging out.  We both had the strict math teacher Mrs. Odessa Adams.  She didn't take any of our clowning around in class.  She did, however, let Keith and I come to her house on the weekends (I think it was on the weekend) to be tutored by her. I learned more (about math) that year  than I ever did any other year. I'll  always think of him with fondness and miss those sweet blue eyes !      

Beverly Rowin (Hartman)

Janet Reed (Marler)

What a wonderful wacky guy!  He will truly be missed by all.  Our 50th will have a blank spot.

Janet Reed Marler