Melinda McDonald Bailey was born July 14, 1959 in DeFuniak Springs, FL and entered into rest July 28, 2024 surrounded by family in her childhood home that she lived in the majority of her life. She was a lifelong resident of DeFuniak Springs. She was Christian by faith.

Melinda devoted her adult life to teaching, which was far more than just her career. She taught first grade at West Defuniak Elementary in the same class room for 40 years, receiving Teacher Of The Year at least once. She was loved by her fellow teachers and is even known to some of them as "mom". She loved her students as a mother loved her children. She spent almost every afternoon working extra hours to make sure all was perfect in her classroom. She also has quite an impressive collection of coffee mugs that she acquired from students. She kept each one and wrote their names on the bottom of them so she'd know who it was from.

In her spare time, she enjoyed fishing with her husband and spending time with family. She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandbabies.

Melinda also enjoyed spending time with her brother, John and his wife Robin when they would come  visit from Oviedo, FL.

For many years, she enjoyed growing ferns in her spare time. She had such a green thumb for them, many people in DeFuniak used them in weddings.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Forrest A. McDonald and Jeanette Anderson McDonald., and survived by husband, Tony Bailey,  brother John McDonald (Robin), , mother-in-law Pinky Bailey, 3 daughters- Brittany Klawitter (Jason), Kayla Bailey (Andrew), Sarah Hayslip (Bear) ,4 grandchildren- Troy Jensen Klawitter, Colton Shea Klawitter, Rebekah Caylor Hayslip, and Heidi Marie Hayslip.

A time of visitation will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Friday, August 2, 2024 at Clary-Glenn Funeral Home Chapel; 230 Park Avenue, DeFuniak Springs, Florida 32435.

Funeral Services will be held at 3:00 PM, Saturday, August 3, 2024 at Clary-Glenn Funeral Home Chapel; with Reverend Joel Glenn and Derek Glenn officiating.

Flowers are being accepted.

Pallbearers will be Donnie Richardson, Matthew Richardson, Michael Green, Lyle Seigler, Bill McDonald and Bob McDonald. Honorary pallbearers will be Bruce Butts and Greg Majors.

Burial will be held at Magnolia Cemetery.