Ted Dwight Bayley

Ted Bayley believed in giving. It was his profession and his way of life. He did not see giving as a burden, but as an opportunity for growth and the chance to be a part of something bigger. Ted died on Wednesday, July 6 after many years of battling Lewy Body disease, the second leading cause of dementia. He volunteered to serve in a clinical trial on Alzheimer's at Emory hoping that his participation might bring more understanding and eventually a cure for this heartbreaking disease. His final act of giving was to donate his brain for research. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida where he attended Lee High School. After his father died when he was 12, two scoutmasters came to play an important part in his growth. He later went to work as a Boy Scout executive and served in four different positions in Thomson, Ga, Orlando, Fl, and Atlanta, Ga. He worked with volunteer leaders and boards, and also served as summer camp director at 3 different scout camps. Ted attended the University of Florida and the Oglethorpe University where he served in many organizations and was later elected President of the Student body. He received the Oglethorpe Cup at graduation, awarded to the outstanding senior of the year. At graduation he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. He was always a proud Marine, proud to have survived Officer Candidate School. After 18 years with the Boy Scouts of America, he went to work as an assistant Dean of the Business School at Georgia State University, where he also taught courses. He went on to become Vice President of Development and Alumni Affairs at the University. From there he went to work at St. Joseph Hospital where he served as the President of the Mercy Foundation which raised millions of dollars for many projects including Mercy Mobile. For years Ted worked as a volunteer with the Association of Fund Raising Professionals where he was instrumental in writing Ethics legislation. He was one of the first ten members of that organization to receive their highest level of certification, the ACFRE (Advanced Certified Fund Raising Executive). In 1999 he was named the National Fund Raising Executive of the year. He authored several books on fundraising. Ted grew up at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, FL. He was a member at Shallowford Presbyterian Church in Atlanta most of his adult life, where he taught Sunday school, first to children and later to adults. He also sang in the church choir, and served as an Elder many times. He was Moderator of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta and served on a number of different commissions, task forces and committees. He helped start the Habitat group at Shallowford and was in charge of the first house that Shallowford sponsored. Even after he was diagnosed with dementia, he continued (with the help of good friends) to go on Mission trips to help with building projects in Mexico and on the Gulf Coast. Ted had many wonderful friends over the years. With them, he ran the Peachtree Road race for 20 years. He loved backpacking, canoeing, being in the mountains, worshipping, and listening to beautiful music. He was passionate about babies and was known for being the "go-to" guy for anyone with a baby who needed extra attention. He enjoyed volunteering with the 1996 Olympics. Mostly he enjoyed spending time with his family and his five, long awaited, and well-loved grandchildren. "Papa" will be greatly missed. Ted leaves behind his wife of 53 years, Ellen; three daughters, Angela Drummond and her husband Wayne of Black Mountain, NC; Barbara Shefelton and her husband Chip, of Newport News, VA; Karen Kent and her husband Allan of Atlanta, GA; five grandchildren - Sam Drummond, Andrew Kent, Kathryn Kent, Bayley Shefelton, and Kinsey Shefelton; a brother Dwight Bayley and his wife Sarah, of Jacksonville, FL; a sister Barbara Ferguson and her husband Cecil of Lufkin, Texas; three nephews, Peter Bayley, Brad Kinsey, and Brent Kinsey; and two nieces, Cynthia Burnett, and Elizabeth Boulware. Memorial Services will be held at Shallowford Presbyterian Church on Saturday, July 9th at 4:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to Shallowford Presbyterian Church or the charity of your choice.

Funeral Home:
A. S. Turner & Sons
2773 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033