Sapulpa head football coach Jerry Bailey’s wife was the favorite teacher of author Kirk McCracken.
Almost 50 years to the day after the murder of Sapulpa football coach Jerry Bailey, the tragedy will be featured on an episode of “Murder Under the Friday Lights” series on Investigation Discovery (ID).
Highlights
- Jerry Bailey’s tragic murder story will be featured on an episode of Murder Under the Friday Lights series on January 15, 2025.
- His wife, Beverly Bailey, was born to her father, Troy W. Edwards, and her mother, Estelle Standifier Edwards.
- Jerry and Beverly had one son, Guy Bailey, and one daughter, Diedra Bailey.
The fourth season of the true-crime docu-series begins Wednesday, January 15, 2025. The episode “Guilt Will Get You” focuses on Bailey’s murder and the subsequent investigation.
The episode airs at 8:00 PM on ID and will be available for streaming the following day on Max.
Kirk McCracken wrote a book called “Because of the Hate. ” In it, he wrote about Bailey’s success in Sapulpa and Nowata.
Talking about Jerry’s tragic story, he resigned as the Sapulpa High School head football coach in 1975 and was looking forward to moving on.
On January 22, 1975, Jerry and his assistant coach, Paul Reagor Jr, were seen leaving together before the first hour, and they were never seen at Sapulpa High School again.
After an exhaustive search throughout the day and night, the two coaches were found the next afternoon in Bixby at an abandoned farmhouse.
Reagor was found dazed and near comatose in the farmhouse, and Bailey was found dead in the trunk of Reagor’s car.
He had been stabbed 22 times, and Reagor was arrested for the crime.
After numerous stints in mental health facilities, Reagor was ordered to stand trial and eventually convicted of second-degree murder with a sentence of 10 years to life.
However, Reagor never served a day of his sentence and was able to walk the streets until his death.
Coach Jerry Bailey’s Wife, Beverly Bailey, Passed Away At 55
Late Sapulpa Head Football Coach Jerry Bailey was married to Beverly Bailey.
After Jerry’s death, Beverly taught geometry at the Sapulpa School for about 25 years and 16 years at Tulsa Junior College before retiring in 1996.
She was the best teacher of author Kirk McCracken, even though he hated math. According to McCracken, Beverly passed away on June 29, 1998, at age 55, in Tulsa for an undisclosed reason.
Beverly’s funeral was scheduled for First Baptist Church in Sapulpa, and she was buried in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, United States.
Jerry and Beverly had two children, Guy and Diedra Bailey, who studied at the Sapulpa School.
Their son Guy graduated from the University of Tulsa in 1988 and is employed by Barlett Collins Glass in Sapulpa.
On December 18, 1991, Guy Bailey married Melanie Bailey, a daughter of Mrs. Phil Standley and the late Joe Reid.
Melanie is a 1988 Schulter High School graduate employed at a Local American bank in Sapulpa.
On the other hand, Jerry and Beverly’s daughter Diedra married Harvey Knecht.
In addition, Jerry and Beverly had two grandchildren, Jerry Ray and Guy Edward Bailey.
As per the source, Beverly was born on October 30, 1943, to her father, Troy Edwards, and her mother, Estelle Standifer Edwards.
Her mother, Estelle, was born on September 2, 1919, in Mill Creek to W.N. and Sarah P. Riddle Standifier and died on June 2, 2006, at a local hospital.
Beverly graduated from Ardmore High School in 1961, attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and graduated from East Central with degrees in mathematics and physics.
Additional Information
- Beverly Bailey’s mother, Estelle, was a member of First Baptist Church and the TLF Dance Club.
- Jerry Bailey’s body was found in an abandoned car near 131st Street and 145th East Avenue.
- Beverly’s parents tied the knot at Ardmore on October 9, 1939.
