John Bailey died while visiting his daughter in London, just three days after his birthday.
Leading members of the NUJ were quick to pay tribute to John who started his career at the Hartlepool Mail before joining the Sunderland Echo where he was Features Editor for many years. John was president of the NUJ in 1973-74 and also served the union across a range of committees and councils as well as being a consistent contributor to the union’s Delegate Meeting (DM)
Tom Fennelly, NUJ Sunderland, Shields and Hartlepool branch co-chair and John’s lifelong friend paid tribute on the union’s website, saying: “Throughout a distinguished career in newspapers and latterly in a local government press office role, John was a most highly respected figure wherever he worked. He combined his working life with another voluntary journalist role as editor of the Northern Cross, the monthly independent newspaper serving the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. His boundless energy and passion for his profession shone through and he was instrumental in reviving our branch and was secretary until last January.”
Tom added: “He will be sorely missed and our sympathies are with his wonderful family who meant so much to him. John was a good friend and colleague. Always supportive, he was kind, professional and dedicated to the union movement, to his friends and colleagues, and, most importantly, to his family.”
Chris Morley, NUJ Northern and Midlands Senior Organiser, also gave his own tribute, saying: “The impact of John Bailey on the NUJ through many of its most turbulent and troubled years cannot be underestimated – nor his wonderful personality on all those members who knew him as a friend and colleague.
“He was gracious, courteous and sensitive but also persuasive and effective with level-headedness and long experience.”
John, who had six children, was devoted to his family and late wife Maureen who sadly passed last year.
