REGION — Funeral services are tentatively scheduled next month for former La Mesa mayor and San Diego County Supervisor George Bailey, who died Monday of congestive heart failure at the age of 100.
Bailey was born in Dayton, Ohio, and moved to San Diego County with his family in 1932.
He graduated from San Diego State Teachers College in 1941, then served in the U.S. Navy during World War II until being discharged in 1945. A dozen years later, Bailey began his storied 35-year political career.
Bailey’s first public service post was on the La Mesa Parking Commission in 1957. He also served on the La Mesa Planning Commission and City Council and did a four-year stint as mayor.
Bailey ran for the Board of Supervisors in 1984, serving two four-year terms before retiring in 1992.
Bailey, who earned La Mesa Man of the Year and East County Citizen of the Year honors in 1964, also served on a handful of local agencies, including the San Diego Association of Governments and the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“Sad news about a big loss,” Supervisor Dianne Jacob said in a Twitter post. “But George Bailey’s decades of public service in east county and beyond will continue to inspire many of us.”
Bailey is survived by two sons — Gary and Richard — four grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Services are tentatively scheduled for April 27 at 2 p.m. at Vista La Mesa Christian Church.
