Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

July 23, 2026

Martha Maurice Bailey, age 87, passed away in Little River, SC, on July 23, 2026. Born on November 27, 1938, in Rutherford County, NC, she was the daughter of the late George Washington Maurice, Jr., and the late Ola Bright Maurice Gettys Neale. 

She attended Ellenboro High School and Central Piedmont Community College, where she ultimately earned her Associates Degree in Nursing. She enjoyed a career as a Registered Nurse at Carolinas Medical Center where she worked on the cardiology telemetry unit.  Following her retirement, when asked if she, past-tense, “was” a nurse, she was known to reply, “ I am a nurse, because once a nurse, always a nurse.” She was a member of First Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC, where she attended worship services and had a host of cherished, life-long friends.

Martha was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Dan Bailey; her son, William Christopher Bailey; her daughter, Susan Bailey Law; her parents, George Washington Maurice, Jr., and Ola Bright Maurice Gettys Neale; and her sisters, Lisa Maurice Hilton, Jane Maurice Ebermayer, and Mary Marilyn Maurice.

Martha is survived by her son, Brian David Bailey and wife, Dianne Chipps Bailey; her daughter, Dana Leigh Bailey; her son-in-law, Christopher Jerel Law and wife, Liz Mallas Law; her grandchildren, Katherine Chipps Bailey, Bradley David Bailey, Bailey Law Fisher and husband, Matthew Fisher, Jerel Christopher Law, Jr. and fiancée, Madeline Manear, Luke David Law; honorary grandchildren Mya Stitt and Lora Stitt; her nieces, Laurie Shelton and Karen Donovan and their families; and other extended family, including beloved cousins and their families. 

A very special thank you to the Memory Care Unit team at The Barclay at Little River and to the Your Health Hospice care team.  The kindness and compassion you lead with every day is transformative in the lives of so many. We will forever be grateful for the love and respect you bestowed upon our family in this time of need.

A graveside service will be held Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Sharon Memorial Park, in Charlotte, NC.  The service will be officiated by the Reverend Michael Cummings, retired First Baptist Church.

Those wishing to honor her memory are encouraged to make a memorial donation to the charity or organization of their choice. 

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.