Jackie Bayless

Jackie R. Bayless, age 90, of Crawfordsville passed away on Monday, October 19, 2026 at Franciscan Health Crawfordsville. He was born in Crawfordsville on January 12, 1936 to the late Lester Ophar and Pauline (Brasfield) Bayless.

Jackie graduated from Waveland High School in the Class of 1954 and went on to dedicate himself to the joys and challenges of farming and carpentry. His work ethic was unmatched, and he poured his heart into everything he did. He was also an enthusiastic mechanic, known for his talent in working on midget and sprint cars, and he was a devoted fan of NASCAR and Indy car racing. He was a member of Freedom Baptist Church. Jackie married Carolyn Joan Sparger on December 5, 1954; she preceded him in death on February 22, 2019.

Jackie is survived by his daughter, Tamra (Larry) Utterback; son, Bradley (Melissa) Bayless; grandchildren, Kiley (Breven) Cornelius, Kelsey (Wes) Cram, Travis Bayless, Taylor (Andrew) Bayless Hile, Levi Golladay, Sarah Schaaf, and Jakob Schaaf; great-grandchildren, Harper, Hadley, Carson, Allana, Willow and Winter; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Pauline; wife, Carolyn; daughter, Lisa Ann Bayless; son, Dennis Bayless; and sisters, Margaret Fern Bayless and Sandra Brown.

There will be a Graveside Service at Freedom Cemetery in Waveland on Monday, October 26, 2026 at 11:00am with Ivan Brown officiating. Share memories and condolences online at www.SandersFuneralCare.com.