G. Dufour Bayle

Generes Dufour Bayle, 87, died on June 6, 2021 at his home in Metairie, Louisiana surrounded by his children. A native New Orleanian, Dufour was born on August 14, 1933, the third child of Joseph Dufour Bayle and Alice Waggaman Bayle. He was preceded in death by his sisters Marie Elise Bayle King and Beverly Elizabeth Bayle and his brother Charles Spinola Waggaman Bayle.

Dufour graduated from Jesuit High School in 1951 and Tulane University’s School of Business Administration in 1955. He went on to serve honorably with the US Air Force in London until his discharge in late 1957.

In 1964, he married the love of his life, Emily Hopkins Friend. They were happily married for 50 years before Emily passed away. Dufour and Emily were blessed with four daughters – Marie Lisette Bayle, Valerie Hopkins Bayle Finch, Stephanie Ann Bayle Gray and Aimee Christine Bayle Dodds, and seven grandchildren - Olivia Hopkins, Audrey Waggaman and John Henry (Jack) Finch; Patrick Lee and Caroline McKenzie Gray; and Everett Dufour and Airlie Lynne Dodds, all who lovingly called their grandfather Poppo.

Professionally, Dufour launched a successful career in insurance and financial planning that continued until his retirement in 2017. He served on the boards of the New Orleans Association of Life Underwriters, the New Orleans Society of CLU, and the Financial Planners Association of New Orleans. He was a founding member and president of the Gulf Coast chapter of Certified Financial Planners.

Socially, Dufour was always the life of the party. Whether he was Gatoring with his Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity brothers, playing doubles with his tennis buddies at the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club, playing “a little better than average” Bridge at the Stratford Club, or showing off his dance moves at Mardi Gras balls (he was a member of Rex, Oberon, Mithras, Achaeans and Twelfth Night Revelers), “Flop” as he was affectionately known by his friends, made sure everyone had a good time.

Civicly, Dufour served on the boards of the New Orleans Blood Bank, the Girls Scouts Council for Southeastern Louisiana and Valencia, Inc, and he was an active member of the Father’s Club of Academy of the Sacred Heart, serving as president in 1985. He was the chairman of Youth Alternatives, Inc, which ran four juvenile homes in New Orleans and facilitated the donation of its half million dollars in securities to establish a fund for underprivileged youths within the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

Spiritually, Dufour devoted his life to his family and his Catholic faith. For more than 55 years he was a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Metairie, where he and Emily served as lectors and on the Religious Board of Education. He was instrumental in the church’s 75th anniversary capital stewardship campaign to build a new church. Dufour was a long time co-captain of his Manresa retreat, which he attended annually for 56 years. He was also actively involved in the Serra Club of Downtown New Orleans, an organization of Catholic laymen interested in fostering vocations for the Church.

When asked recently to summarize his long life Dufour said, “I have been blessed with the gift of faith, an extraordinary wife, a loving family and many good friends.” His family and friends describe him more simply.- “Everyone loved Dufour. He was just a really good man.”

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Mass at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans, on Wednesday, June 30, 2021 at 2:00PM. A visitation will be held at the funeral home beginning at 12:00PM. The interment will immediately follow the Mass in Metairie Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Serra Club of New Orleans, P O Box 52575 New Orleans, LA 70152.

To view and sign the guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com