Alnet Scott “Scotty” Bailess, 1930-2019

Memorial services for Alnet Scott “Scotty” Bailess, 89, formerly of Huntington will be held Saturday, July 20, at 11 a.m. at Huntington First Baptist Church with Dr. Darryl Smith officiating. Private family graveside services will be held in Broaddus.

Scotty was born Jan. 16, 1930 in Broaddus, Texas, to the late Eula Demeris (Wise) and Hammond “Hoss” Scott Jr., and died Friday, June 21, in Milford, Ohio.

Scotty earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1949 and Library Science Degree from the University of Texas, Austin in 1985. She began her teaching career at Liberty, Texas, while achieving National Amateur Volleyball honors with the Houstonettes and Houston Eagles AAU teams; then was selected to the USA National Women’s team that placed second in the Pan American Games of 1955 in Mexico City. She met her husband of 58 years, Benson Lyle Bailess Jr. while playing at the U.S. National Volleyball tournament in 1950 and they married in December of that year. Mother of five children, either in or soon to be of school age, she started a home-based Kindergarten in Golden Acres, Texas, in 1960. The family moved to Corpus Christi in 1967 where she taught at Schanen Elementary and Parkdale Baptist School.

Upon Benson’s retirement, they moved to the family ranch in Goliad, Texas, in 1981. While there, she taught at Yorktown Elementary before becoming the full time Librarian at Goliad High School. In 1999, they moved to Huntington to be close to the Piney Woods of her hometown. She became involved with the local high school girls’ volleyball teams and later with the Ladyjacks at SFA. Scotty was known for bringing crockpot candy or cookies to the games and cheering on her “girls.” Volleyball honors include the Flo Hyman Most Outstanding Player award in 2014 at the U.S. Volleyball Association’s Boyce Banquet, Lufkin Pro Day Inductee in 2014, and the annual SFA women’s team MVP award in her name. She was active in her church, a member of the Lufkin area quilt guild, busy with a group of quilters known as the “Sew An’ Sews,” and former President of the Huntington Garden Club. Scotty loved to play Skip-Bo, RummiKube, 42, and recently “Nines.”

Survivors include her daughter, Scotty Lynn Brown and husband Bruce of Williamsburg, Ohio; sons, Benson Lyle III and wife Cynthia of Seattle, Washington, Melville Kim of Houston,  Preston Monroe and wife Gayle of Gilbert, Arizona, and Joseph Bradley of Haltom City; grandchildren, Jessica Ann, Misty and husband Jason Hernandez, Kim Jr. and wife Deidra, Amy and husband Stuart Taylor, Reid, Morgan, Shelby and Jordyn; great-grandchildren, Austin, Miles, Mya, Jase, Emerie, Wyatt, and Kinsley; sister, Lucette Johnson; sister-in-law, Janice Scott; brother-in-law, Walter E. Bailess and wife Pat; sister-in-law, Mary Bell Lindley; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; granddaughter, Jessica Carol; sister, Julia; and brothers, Sam, Lavane “Buck,” Atholee, Hammond III, Melvin “Pete,” and John Roland.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Benson and Scotty Bailess Volleyball Scholarship Fund, C/O Huntington High School, P.O. Box 328, Huntington, Texas 75949; the East Texas Food Bank, C/O Huntington First Baptist Church, 702 N. Main, Huntington, Texas 75949; or the Huntington Garden Club, P.O. Box 1626, Huntington, Texas 75949.

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 18, at Carroway Funeral Home in Lufkin.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.