Sharon Gay Bailey

Sharon Gay Howell Bailey, 78, of Weatherford, Texas, passed away on June 27, 2026, with her children by her side.

Sharon was born on July 15, 1947, in Bridgeport, Texas, to Earl and Eula (Anderson) Howell.  After graduating from Paradise High School in 1965, Sharon earned her cosmetology license and worked as a hairdresser for a short time before dedicating 37 years of her career to Lockheed Martin, retiring as a Quality Records Supervisor.

On September 28, 2003, Sharon married Pat Bailey at an oceanside ceremony in Maui, Hawaii. Together they enjoyed traveling, spending time with friends, making memories with family, and sharing in the lives of their children and grandchildren.

After retirement, she embraced her favorite job of all—full-time Grandma.  Nothing brought Sharon more joy than showing up for her granddaughters. She rarely missed a basketball or volleyball game, dance recital, concert, school play, graduation, holiday celebration, or any of life's special moments. She delighted in trips to the pumpkin patch, visits with Santa, afternoons spent shopping, movie outings, and all the little moments in between that became treasured family memories. She believed the greatest gift she could give was her time, and she gave it generously.

Those who knew Sharon often described her with one simple word: sweet. She had an extraordinary gift for making people feel remembered. She celebrated the milestones and successes of those she loved and carried their burdens through times of sorrow and pain. Whether through a handwritten card, a thoughtful phone call, or simply remembering the little details of someone's life, Sharon had a way of making every person she met feel valued and loved.

Sharon was a faithful member of the Grace Sunday School Class at North Side Baptist Church, where she found encouragement, friendship, and a church family she dearly loved. She regularly met friends for lunch and fellowship, maintaining lifelong friendships, some spanning more than fifty years.

Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Eula Howell; and by her husband, Pat.

She is survived by her daughter, Traci Hall and husband, Terry; her son, Troy Mars and wife, Paula; her stepdaughter, Leslie Smith and husband, Christopher; her stepson, Clint Bailey; her stepdaughter, Allison Shultz and husband, Ryan; and her brother, Jack Howell and wife, Toni.  She is also survived by her treasured grandchildren, Alexa Hall, Emma Mars, Avery Mars, Olivia Mars, Anna Bailey, Marley Smith, and Madeline Shultz; her great-grandson, Mark Rudloff; along with nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends whose lives were made brighter by knowing her.

A visitation celebrating Sharon's life will be held Thursday, July 2, at 1:30 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 3:00 p.m. at North Side Baptist Church, with Tommy Galik officiating. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Manna Storehouse or St. Jude Children's Hospital in Sharon's memory.

Sharon's greatest legacy was not found in success or accomplishments, but in the lives she touched. She showed up, she remembered, and she loved well. The kindness she shared throughout her life lives on in the family she cherished, the friendships she faithfully nurtured, and the countless people who were blessed simply because she remembered them, cared for them, and loved them well.