Dr. Ovid L. Bayless

Dr. Ovid L. Bayless, 85, of Jonesboro passed from this life on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at CHI St. Vincent in Little Rock.

Dr. Bayless graduated from Baylor University with his Master Degree and went on to earn his PhD at Denver University. He spent a career in the Air Force, retiring in 1974 after spending the last tour of duty as an instructor at the Air Force Academy. He went on to spend another 20 years as the Chairman of Speech Communications and Dramatic Arts from Arkansas State University. He was the voice of the Lady Indians and an avid ASU fan.


He was preceded in death by his parents, Ovid Luer and Frances Ella Adams Bayless; his loving wife, Esther A. Bayless; one son, Dr. William Scott Bayless; one great granddaughter, Zoe Karis Walker.

Survived by his two daughters; Joy Walker and husband Mike of Mountain Home and Martha Harvey and husband Kevin of Jonesboro; one sister, Darla Sue Westbrook and husband Tom of Jonesboro; one brother, Dr. Jon Bayless and wife Ching of Dallas, TX; nine precious grandchildren, Clint Walker (Melissa), Cody Walker (Hayden), Cindy Bayless Oliver (Jeremy),Chris Bayless, Steven Bayless (Kelly), Conner Bayless (Beth), Madison Harvey, Sam Harvey and Ben Harvey; and three great grandchildren, Mackenzie Oliver, Caleb Oliver, and Kerrigan Oliver.

Funeral services will be Friday at 2:00 p.m. in the Emerson Memorial Chapel with Mike Martin and Larry Bailey officiating. Interment will take place at Jonesboro Memorial Park Cemetery with Full Military Honors. Honored to serve as pallbearers are the United States Air Force Honor Guard.

Visitation will be one hour prior to service time.