James D. Bailey was born September 2, 1946, in New York, New York, to parents Ellen Boehm and George D. Bailey. After briefly attending the University of Tennessee, Jim received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Augusta College in 1969. He then proudly served his country in the U.S. Army where he was a Rotary Wing Door Gunner. Due to his education, ability to type, and hobby as a photographer, he became an Aerial Photographer who documented downed helicopter sites while deployed in Bien Hoa, Vietnam. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal, as well as an Army Commendation Medal. On December 24, 1970, he was honorably discharged and surprised his parents by knocking on their door Christmas morning! Best Christmas ever!
After his honorable discharge in 1970, he received his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1974.
After briefly associating with a law firm in Barnwell, SC, he opened his own practice in North Augusta, where he practiced general law. In addition to practicing law, he also taught law classes at the University of South Carolina in Aiken. In 1976, Jim joined Henry Summerall, Jr. and moved to Aiken, practicing general law and becoming a seasoned trial attorney. Because of his experience in criminal defense work, he was appointed many times to represent indigent defendants facing capital punishment. This caused an undue strain financially since he was one of only a few to be repeatedly appointed to handle such demanding cases. As a result, he successfully pioneered legislative reform for fair compensation to attorneys appointed by the State to represent indigent defendants charged with a capital offense. At the time Jim retired, he was facilitating the attorneys tasked with protecting the charitable trust in accordance with soul singer Mr. James Brown’s estate plan, in which he had expressly indicated that his music royalties be used to fund educational expenses for children in South Carolina and Georgia. That case would be a fifteen-year battle finally settling in 2021.
He was a member of the SC Bar, and the SC State Ethics Board. He was also tapped to be on the South Carolina State Ethics Board to review charges made against attorneys for veracity and potential punishment if found valid.
Throughout his life, Jim enjoyed his membership at the Palmetto Golf Club, hunting, fishing, camping, wildlife photography, bird watching, cooking, beach trips, telling dad jokes, being a dog whisperer and primarily spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Jim always put his family and faith first. He was an active member of Aiken Council of the Knights of Columbus, served on the St. Mary’s Help of Christians Catholic School Board, was a Boy Scout troop leader for many years as his boys and their friends rose through the ranks. He was an assistant baseball coach for the Aiken Recreation Department, and as his children grew up, helped ferry them to and from school and school events, as well as attending all their travel soccer team games. He was active on this committee until he retired.
Jim loved the outdoors, camping, fishing, exploring, and photographing birds and wildflowers. He belonged to the Augusta Sailing Club and was editor of the club newsletter in the ‘80s. He loved fishing and sailing leisurely around Clark’s Hill. An avid hunter, he joined various hunt clubs over the years in pursuit of ducks, quail and deer. One favorite hunting locale was the Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area swamp, using his golden
retriever to recover ducks he was successful in downing. He particularly enjoyed camping and hunting on land owned by his dear friend and hunting partner Belton Weeks.
James D. Bailey died on February 15, 2022. He is survived by his spouse of 45 years, Laurie K. Bailey; children, G. Daniel Bailey, II (Tara), Dr. Sarah E. Schlegl (Ben) and J. Sam Bailey (Melissa); grandchildren, Kiley M. Bailey, George D. Bailey, III (Trey), Gavin C. Bailey, J. Bennett Bailey and Harper E. Bailey; and sister, Beverly Sniffin. He was preceded in death by his parents.