Rodney Dean Bailey

MADISON/TOMAH -Rodney Dean Bailey, age 88, of Tomah, passed away on Thursday, May 25, 2017, at the Tomah VA Medical Center. He was born on Nov. 2, 1928, in Madison, the son of Martin and Mary (Nelson) Bailey. Rodney proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1948. He married Donna Alexander and together were blessed with six children. Rodney then married Barbara Hall and raised one child. He went on to explore a career in mechanics, offering his natural born talents to any contraption or gadget that needed tackling. Rodney could fix anything, and loved to tinker, usually having several projects going on at once. An innate protector, Rodney always looked out for his friends and family, he was often known as the “neighborhood watchdog.”  He expressed care and compassion to all and everyone in his midst, truly a gentle soul. Although he carried a quiet and soft spoken demeanor, he always spoke with great enthusiasm about his love for traveling across North America.  Rodney loved the time he spent bowling with pals or mastering the ins and outs of his mechanical devices, he always discovered new and collaborative ways to finish a project. He showed great interest in his community and was an active member of the Greig Club and the VFW in Beaver Dam. Rodney is survived by his two sons, Edward (Elizabeth) Bailey and Kenneth (Kathleen) Bailey; five daughters, Pamela (Duane) Kalland, Mary Bailey, Rosemary (Vernon) Robinson, Wendy Gurske and Kathleen (James Sr.) Zimmerman; 16 grandchildren, Tim Bailey, Patsy Zimmerman, Stacey Hackett, Hethur Maldonado, David (Conya) Bailey, Jason (Rada) Bailey, Christina Bailey, Patrick (Marissa) Bailey, Justin Bailey, John Gurske, Katrina Gurske, Michael Zimmerman, James Zimmerman, Jr., Robert Brehmer, Richard Brehmer and Christopher Freeman; 31 great grand-children; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; second wife, Barbara Bailey; first wife, Donna Holtan; step-daughter, Penelope Alexander; three brothers, Edward Bailey, Melvin Bailey and George Bailey; six sisters, Irene Roberts, Agnes Jonsgaard, Stella Welke, Doris Carroll, Pearl Kleinfeldt and Marian Lyons. Funeral services will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL & CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Dr., Madison, at 11 a.m., on Tuesday, May 30, 2017. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., on Monday, May 29, 2017, and also at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Association at alz.org/scwisc. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.   Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive 608-221-5420