Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the quiet strength, unwavering support, and everyday heroism of dads everywhere. From guiding hands to words of wisdom, fathers shape their children’s lives in big and small ways. One story portrays love and legacy locally with a tradition of following in a father’s footsteps.
Born in Plaquemine, La., in 1930, Don Bailey moved to Phenix City with his family in 1939. His dad, Cecil Bailey, had previously been an oil worker in Louisiana and Mississippi and began a car lot when he moved to Phenix City. Don, passionate about cars, wanted to have his own business and built his own car lot — Don Bailey Auto Sales — which has stood the test of time.
Don Bailey’s name still carries weight in Phenix City. His legacy is etched not just into the car lot he built from the ground up on Broad Street, which still exists today, but it’s also part of the city’s history, from his time as a talented athlete at Central High School to his time as a city commissioner beginning in 1966. During his last term in 1971, he served as mayor…