Richard "Dick" Baile

For 99 years as a member of the “Greatest Generation,” Richard “Dick” Baile enjoyed a life that drew him from the family farm to college graduation to WWII military service to entrepreneurship in the oil business to an active, robust retirement. On Thursday, the 19th of March 2020, Dick left this life for eternal rest and peace.

Born at home on his parents’ farm outside Warrensburg, Missouri, Dick moved quickly through his early education in a one-room country schoolhouse, entering Central Missouri State Teachers College, now The University of Central Missouri, at age 16. He joined the golf team, was elected President of the Junior Class and President of his fraternity. When news came of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in his senior year, Dick immediately enlisted, hoping to become a pilot. Because flying schools were full until the following fall, Dick was able to complete his degree in 1942, majoring in mathematics and minoring in physics. He joined the Army Air Corps, becoming Cadet Commander at Yale, learning engineering while teaching navigation to young pilots. After his repeated requests for forward service, he was sent to Tinian Island in the Pacific where he became Group Flight Engineer on B-29’s, flying bombing raids over Japan.

Following separation from the Army at war’s end, Dick was encouraged by his beloved Aunt Bona (Bona Lunn Gordey) to investigate opportunities in the emerging oil business. During his first job interview, he was hired on the spot by Stanolind Oil Company, a precursor of Amoco, assigned to a seismograph crew in Texarkana, Texas and given the title “Junior Computer.”

Dick loved to tell the story of running into a fraternity brother, asking him about Frances Fricke, a college classmate who had caught his eye, and learning that she was single. He began a letter writing campaign, convinced Fran to come for a visit, then to meet his family, and subsequently to marry him in 1946. This mostly long-distance, six-month courtship resulted in a marriage of 68 years. The couple raised five children with great love and abundant family fun.

In 1952, Dick and a fellow Stanolind employee left their good-paying jobs to start their own company, Empire Geophysical. In 1962, Independent Exploration acquired Empire, and Dick moved to Houston as president of the combined companies. By 1966, Independent had grown into a major seismic contractor that provided worldwide services. Teledyne acquired Independent in 1966, and Dick continued as president of Teledyne Explorations until 1969 when he left to form Challenge Oil and Gas. Berry Industries subsequently bought Challenge and conducted extensive nonexclusive seismic surveys under Dick’s leadership.

Dick greatly enjoyed many years of active involvement in both the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). From 1994 – 2006, Dick served on the SEG Foundation Board of Directors, later as its chairman. He was subsequently named Chair Emeritus.

His efforts to advance his profession earned national recognition and numerous awards. Among these were the 2008 SEG “Special Commendation for his lifetime of contributions to the Society, especially through the SEG Foundation.” The award citation stated, “Dick is known for his honesty, sincerity, and ethical approach in business, as well as his leadership, management skills, prodigious talent, and devotion to principles.”

In 2013, Dick received the AAPG Foundation Chairman’s Award “for extraordinary contributions to the AAPG Foundation.” Dick also served on the board of this Foundation.

As he reflected on surviving the war, having the opportunity to create his own path doing work that he loved, and finding and marrying Frances, the love of his life, Dick would say that he often “felt the Hand of Providence” on his shoulder. His deep gratitude for his life combined with his natural exuberance led to involvement on many fronts. He served as both Deacon and Elder at his church, Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, and he enjoyed a term on the City Council for the independent municipality of Bunker Hill Village in Houston. He was recently named an Emeritus Member of Lakeside Country Club where he had enjoyed 58 years of playing golf and gin rummy, attending countless dinners and parties, serving on the Lakeside Board and on various board committees through the years.

Beyond all his achievements and accolades, his children would say Dick’s greatest success was as their Dad. His great love and care for them manifested itself in his close and gentle relationship with Frances; their strong family values, taught by precept and by example; calm yet reliably firm discipline; and wonderfully fun family adventures that extended into multiple trips together as long as Dick was able to travel. The family’s second home at Lakeway on Lake Travis was the center of active, large, sometimes raucous family gatherings for all three Baile family generations for 24 years, just as Fran and Dick had hoped it would be.

Dick is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur Hamilton Baile and Vida Lunn Baile; his sister, Catherine Baile Nichols (Raymond); his wife, Frances Fricke Baile; his son, John Christopher Baile; and his daughter, Ann Baile Hamric. Dick is survived by his brother, Charles Clifton Baile (Virginia); his children, Carolyn Chandler Louden (Ed), Betsy Baile (Andy Taylor), James Baile (Lisa); his daughter-in-law, Kiley Baile; ten grandchildren and five great-grandsons.

The family will gather for small private service to commemorate Dick’s life.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in honor of Dick may be directed to Geoscientists Without Borders, a non-profit that supports humanitarian applications of geoscience around the world, 8801 S. Yale Ave., Suite 500, Tulsa, OK, 74137.