Committal
Ryan Thomas Bailey, 44, of Raleigh, North Carolina entered into the presence of his Lord on October 31, 2025.
Born in Morganton, North Carolina to parents Steve and Nancy, Ryan was raised in a love-filled home, shared by his younger brother Chris. He was part of the community of faith at First Baptist Church of Morganton, where he was baptized alongside his father. There, he participated in numerous church activities and developed a strong religious conviction that he would maintain throughout his life. He was heavily involved in the Boy Scouts, where he developed a heart for service and a love of the outdoors, and was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Freedom High School where he excelled in academics, played saxophone in the marching band and was a member of the varsity soccer team.
He attended college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he graduated with a double-major in Communications and Psychology. In his time there, he continued to excel in academics, developed a fierce passion for UNC athletics, and was heavily involved in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. He later received a Master’s in Professional Communication from East Carolina University. He employed his education and his talents as a gifted writer and communicator toward a successful career in pharmaceutical research design.
Ryan’s passions covered a wide spectrum. He loved spending time with his family, and brought the same enthusiasm to planning family celebrations or travel adventures as he did to reading Lord of the Rings to his sons before bed, or to the simple sharing of stories around the dinner table. He could always be relied on to bring warmth, laughter and levity to any family gathering. He loved being engaged with the Church through worship, fellowship and service, most recently with Bright City Church in Durham, NC. He had an affinity for the written word, which he absorbed through favorite works of fiction and poetry, and which he exercised in word puzzles and in his own writings. He enjoyed cooking, with a particular penchant for anything involving a grill. He loved nearly every major sport, with his chief loyalties being to the UNC Tar Heels and the Carolina Panthers. He enjoyed hiking, backpacking, fishing, hunting and other outdoor activities that kept him in close proximity to God’s creation. His heart was geared toward serving others, and he had a deep compassion for people struggling with mental health issues or substance abuse, as well as those experiencing homelessness.
His personality also had impressive range. He could be profound, punny, esoteric, silly, analytical, poetic, wise, and convivial, among many other traits, but always genuine, and overwhelmingly loving, kindhearted and tender. He was a bright spot in the lives of anyone who met him, whether a lifelong friend or brief acquaintance.
Ryan was part of a large and close-knit family, and in addition to numerous aunts, uncles and cousins, he is survived by his mother and father Steve and Nancy, his younger brother Chris, his wonderful sons Logan and Tyson, his wife of 17 years, Jessica, and his Great Aunt Frances. He had an abundant love for his family, and he was loved dearly by all of them. He will be profoundly missed.
A memorial service celebrating Ryan’s life will be held at the First Baptist Church of Morganton, NC on Saturday, November 15th. Receiving will begin at 12:30 PM in the sanctuary, with the service starting at 2:00 PM.
Memorial contributions may be made via donations to the Durham Rescue Mission, PO Box 11368, Durham, NC 27703, or to the Mimosa Christian Counseling Center, 220 Burkemont Ave, Morganton, NC 28655.
Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Tribute Wall
Leave a tribute for Ryan Thomas Bailey.
Ryan and I worked together for many years. We learned clinical research together. He was brilliant with words. He could communicate complicated concepts in a way that made them easy to understand. He became my change management and communications expert on all the projects we did together. Ryan had the best sense of humor! He wrote 90’s style rap songs about work stress to make our team laugh. But more than his talents, Ryan's character, his kindness, and how deeply he cared about the people he worked with stuck with me. He and Jess brought my family a meal when we were going through a hard time. We prayed together and talked about our faith in Jesus and shared parenting successes and failures. My deepest condolences and prayers go to Ryan's family. I am profoundly heartbroken for Jess, Logan, and Tyson and Ryan's whole family. He was my friend; he will be profoundly missed.
How do you write a fitting tribute for someone who was so masterful with words? I worked with Ryan over the span of many years and was a fortunate recipient of his excellent work, his friendship, his fierce wit, his shenanigans, and his support. So many hard days were eased by his generosity with his jokes, his diplomacy, his praise, and his help. He was so patient in our response to his pranks, whether he arrive at work to find his Rubics cube had been encased in jello, glitter dusting his office, or a poorly placed peice of cornbread in his jacket pocket. My life has been blessed to have had him in it. It was not just a privilege to have known Ryan, it was an absolute honor. My heartfelt condolences to his precious family, and those who knew and loved him best.
I used to work in the same building as Ryan. We never directly worked together, but for several years sat next to one another. He was a unique guy who was not only very kind and articulate, but thought-provoking in our interactions about work/non-work things. Sometimes while working on totally disparate things we could simultaneously hold a conversation on music instruments or other things. He was unique because he had that rare ability to connect and care with a wide range of people regardless of how it may have advanced him in some strategic way. He also seemed to be a rare person who could reproject any situation into something dually positive and interesting. Work or non-work. In short he could make anyone feel welcome while also bringing amazing life insights at the same time. Thats pretty special. You will very much be missed, Ryan.
Ryan joined our team at Rho after he graduated from UNC, and I worked with him for nine years. Ryan was a valuable, conscientious team member; his work was consistently well-written and accurate. Ryan was kind, helpful, and thoughtful in all of his interactions with his colleagues and our clients. My thoughts will be with Ryan’s family during this difficult time. With deep sadness, Pat Zook
Jessica, we are devastated to hear about your loss. Love, the Jones family.
Our family has many sweet memories of Ryan from those long-ago high school days. Every word of this tribute describes him. We are proud to have known him.
Condolences for the family. Our prayers will be with you. So sorry for your loss
Remembering Ryan Bailey from First Baptist Church along with his parents and youth activities our daughters participated in.
I had the pleasure of knowing Ryan during our time working together, where we worked on initiatives together and he was my cubicle next-door neighbor. He was truly a light in this world—kind, thoughtful, and always willing to help. We used to celebrate “Good Neighbors Day,” which still makes me smile when I think of it. Ryan had such a gift with words; his writing and communication skills were remarkable. But what stood out even more was his genuine warmth and the way his face lit up when he spoke about Jessica and the boys. He was one of the most genuine people I’ve ever known. I’m heartbroken to know he’s gone. He will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Please know how fondly he was thought of, how much joy he brought to those around him, and how warmly he is remembered. My heart is with you.