Rev. Thomas Bailey
March 4, 1943 - April 19, 2025
A Celebration of Pastor Bailey’s Life
will be held on
Saturday, May 24
at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church
1:00 p.m. Visitation
2:00 p.m. Funeral Service (in-person & online)
Abiding Together, we pray:
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Pastor Bailey. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.
To participate in Pastor Bailey’s funeral service online, go to AbidingPresence.net/live on the day of the funeral and you will find the service.
The Reverend Thomas Perry Bailey Obituary
The Reverend Thomas Perry Bailey, age 82, of Fredericksburg passed away on April 19 with his wife, Carol, by his side. Besides his wife, he leaves behind his daughter, Leigh Anne Adusei (Otis); his two grandsons, Alex and Christian of Spring, Texas; his sisters, Anne Beck (David) of Poland, Ohio and June Hickle of Lancaster, Ohio; and numerous nieces and nephews. His son, David, predeceased him in 2006.
The son of Velma and Woodrow Bailey, Tom was born in Salem, Ohio and grew up in nearby Greenford. He graduated from Wittenberg University and Hamma School of Theology. His first call was to Faith Lutheran, Staunton, VA followed by 12 years at St. John Lutheran, Norfolk. In 1985, he was called to the fledgling church Abiding Presence Lutheran in Burke, VA, where he nailed up the ceiling and made numerous phone calls to church visitors and built a congregation as well as a new church building. Parishioners in all 3 congregations Tom served learned to love his terrible puns as they discovered the great compassion, kindness, and consideration of his pastoral care. He established strong connections with a new Jewish congregation, B’Nai Shalom, and joint Thanksgiving services are a highlight of both groups to this day.
Pastor Bailey was active in the wider church serving on the boards of the National Lutheran Home, the Virginia Synod Council, and Caroline Furnace Church Camp.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 23, 2025, at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 6170 Plank Rd., Fredericksburg. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 24, at Abiding Presence Lutheran, 6304 Lee Chapel Rd., Burke, where Pastor Bailey served for 23 years. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service for a visitation.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for contributions in Tom’s memory to Lutheran World Relief, 700 Light St., Baltimore, MD 21297.