REDDEN - Oscar Davis Bailey Sr., drew his last earthly breath and his first draft of pure heavenly air on March 22, 2013. Mr. Bailey was born Sept. 13, 1908, on a small farm near Abbott's Mill near Milford, Del. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Savage Bailey; his father and mother, Walter and Elizabeth Bailey; a brother, Lawrence Bailey; three sisters, Florence Landis, Sylvia Williamson and Hazel Dickerson; and a son-in-law Robert L. Smith Jr. He is survived by his loving family including two children, Oscar D. Bailey Jr., of Milford, and Phyllis Bailey Smith, of Georgetown; one sister, Bessie Christopher, of Seaford; seven grandchildren and their spouses, David and Geralynn Smith, of Georgetown, James and Christine Smith Bowden, of Georgetown, Michael E. Smith, of Georgetown, Jeff and Katrina Smith Stevens, of Middletown, Timothy and Susan Bailey Esham, of Millsboro, Paul and Carol Bailey Reed, of Georgetown, Shane and Michelle Bailey Peiffer, of Milford; and eleven great-grandchildren, Trey Bowden, Skyler Bowden, Bailey Stevens, Kasey Stevens, Rebekah Joy Smith, Matthew Smith, Kayla Esham, Kelsey Esham, Adam Reed, MacKenzie Reed, and Rebekah Peiffer. Mr. Bailey worked from 1933-1978 for the State of Delaware's Forestry Department, most of those years at the Redden Forest as the state's only Forest Ranger. He fought hundreds of fires in and around Delaware with his many friends in the Delaware Fire Service and received the Governor's Diamond State Award in 1975 from then Governor Sherman W. Tribbett for "Meritorious and Exceptional service to the State of Delaware". The "Bailey Tract", 200 acres of forestland near Georgetown, was named for him after retirement and more recently the picnic pavilion near the Redden Lodge was also named for him, the "O.D. Bailey Pavilion". He personally planted countless acres of timberland, and loved the outdoors immensely. Mr. Bailey, 'O.D' to many of his friends, had many hobbies and pastimes that he enjoyed throughout the decades including gardening, beekeeping, fishing, hunting and repairing watches and clocks including numerous collectible German cuckoo clocks. He served in the Delaware National Guard from 1926-1930 as a Sergeant and machine gunner. He was also known, earlier in life, to enjoy a good pipe. But most impressive of all, Mr. Bailey was Delaware's Will Rogers, having never met a man or woman he didn't like. He was truly a friend to all, and now is heaven's newest redeemed citizen. A celebration of his life will be held at Short Funeral Services, 609 E. Market Street, Georgetown, Del. on Saturday March 30, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests tax-deductible contributions in Mr. Bailey's memory are made to the Delaware Forestry Association, P.O. Box 344 Bridgeville, Delaware 19933.