WEBB — A homegoing service for Clifton Henry Bailey, 72, will be Saturday, Feb. 10, at Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 2237 N. State St., in Clarksdale. A public viewing will be held from 9-11 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11. Skeeter Robinson Funeral Home of Grenada has charge of arrangements.
Mr. Bailey, who was born Dec. 18, 1951, died Saturday, Jan. 27, at Bolivar Medical Center in Cleveland of end stage renal disease.
He had served just shy of 28 years as Tallahatchie County constable for District 2 since being appointed to the post in March 1996 following the resignation of Walter Mike Hawkins.
Mr. Bailey then won a November 1996 special election to serve the remaining three years of Hawkins' unexpired term and was reelected seven times, thought to be a record for continuous service in the position. He was reelected last year to a new four-year term that began Jan. 1 this year. Mr. Bailey was unable to attend the swearing-in ceremony in Charleston.
The Tallahatchie County Board of Supervisors is expected to take up the question of appointing an interim constable at their Feb. 5 meeting in Sumner, with an elected successor to be chosen by voters in a special election later this year.
Editor's note: A news story appearing in the Feb. 1 print edition of The Sun-Sentinel incorrectly listed Mr. Bailey's cause of death as cancer.
