Mike Bailey dies of leukemia

by Peter Ames Carlin, The Oregonian
Tuesday August 04, 2009, 10:10 AM

Longtime Portland radio host Mike Bailey died Monday morning, following a long struggle with leukemia.

Bailey, who was 60, had worked at KKCW-FM(103.3) since 1986. He had also suffered from a rare, serious liver disease that necessitated a transplant in 1992. Oddly, another KKCW morning host, Craig Walker, had the same ailment at the same time, and also had a successful liver transplant.

Bailey, who had been on the air in Portland for 40 years, attended Marshall High School and Lewis & Clark College. He joined the staff of KINK-FM in 1969, broadcasting first under the name Lee Nelson. Bailey left the station after a few years, then returned to serve as program director in the mid-'70s while also broadcasting under the name Bob Marx.

Eventually Bailey settled on using his real name on the air. By the time he moved to KKCW in 1986 listeners had come to recognize Bailey's cheerful on-air countenance, and his enthusiasm for silly jokes and, especially, science fiction.

A longtime fan of the movie and TV series "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," Bailey maintained an elaborate Web site dedicated to the show*. He also maintained a fan site for "Firefly," another science fiction series, and its companion movie, "Serenity."

* http://www.vttbots.com/

Radio remained his greatest love, however, and Bailey continued to do his afternoon show even as his illness rendered him too weak to come into the office. He broadcast from home for most of the last few months, and sometimes did his show via a special hook-up in his room at OHSU Hospital.

Bailey is survived by his wife, Beverly, and his two daughters, Annie and Catherine.