Richard George Bailey

Richard G. “Dick” Bailey, 88, passed away on May 16th at Duke Health’s Hock Family Pavilion hospice in Durham after a long struggle with cancer. Born weeks before the start of the Great Depression, on Oct. 8, 1929, in Brooklyn, NY, he was the son of the late George H. and Marie V. (Taw) Bailey and is survived by his wife of 50 years, Frances A. (Short) Bailey.

He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Mary Bailey, of Port St. Lucie, FL.; sons and daughter: Jim, and Toni, of Midlothian, Va.; Chris, and Linda, of Durham, NC; Sean, and Nancy, of Maplewood, NJ; Judeann, and Gary, of St. Augustine, FL; and nephews:Joe; Fran and Bunny, Tommy and Diane; and seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren, whose lives and accomplishments always gave him great joy.

When Dick was 17 and still attending St. Francis Prep, in Brooklyn, he convinced his parents to let him to enlist in the U.S. Navy. His tour was extended a year with the outbreak of the Korean War. His naval experience was a proud, touchstone event. As the recruiting posters promised, Dick joined the Navy and saw the world, crossing the equator and the International Date Line while sailing in both the Pacific and Mediterranean fleets, and assisting in the evacuation of Shanghai at the close of the Chinese civil war.

Upon his return, Dick met Ann McCurdy in Breezy Point, Brooklyn, and they married within the year. (She predeceased him in 1963.) Dick entered college on the G.I. Bill and graduated from St. John’s University with a degree in business. He spent his professional life in the hardware sales business, including most of his career at J. Wiss & Sons and the Cooper Tool Group, where he was vice-president of international sales and marketing.

His easy smile, friendly bearing, and desire to connect by telling a story, served him well. In a fitting bookend to his career, in 1979, Dick was among the first U.S. business representatives to return to the newly reopened mainland China to negotiate manufacturing partnerships with the Communist government.

Dick was an active member of St. Raphael’s Church for nearly 40 years, a faithful church-goer with Franny at the Saturday 5:30 service, and served on several committees, including building the new church and the new school. Dick and Franny drew great strength and spiritual sustenance from the St. Raphael’s community.

After moving from Morristown, NJ to Raleigh in 1978, Dick became an ardent N.C. State University fan. He joined the Wolfpack Club, became a season ticket holder for football and basketball, and particularly reveled in the school’s success during the Jim Valvano years.

One characteristic Dick displayed throughout his life was resilience. When Ann died in 1963, he faced a low point few people could imagine: Four children, three boys and a girl, under the age 11, including an infant of 10 months; his foot in a cast from a torn ankle tendon; no employment, as he was in between jobs; and it was just two days before Christmas.

But surviving adversity often delivers its own rewards. And for Dick, the appearance of Franny in his life was the answer to so many people’s prayers for him and his children. They married on June 24th, 1967 in Haverford, PA. Dick couldn’t have been happier or luckier, as his bride brought to his life a stunning combination of Jackie Onassis, Raquel Welch, and Mary Tyler Moore. At age 28, Franny stepped into the daunting role of wife, mother to four kids, and full-time high school English teacher.

For Dick and the rest of the family, the marriage brought the added bonus of a new branch in the family tree—the Shorts and the Doyle’s, Fran’s sister Eleanor’s family. Dick happily embraced his new in-laws and through the decades brought a loving, paternal instinct to his role as uncle to the Doyle’s, their wives and children.

Dick and Franny started their happy marriage, that lasted more than half a century, in their first home in Lincoln Park, NJ, before moving to Morristown, NJ, and then finally Raleigh, where they’ve lived since 1978.

Franny and Dick led a life together filled with love, friendship, loyalty, joy, faith, sorrows, laughs—and cookies and ice cream whenever it was available for Dick. “I never turned down a cookie in my life,” Dick said recently.

Dick relished his time in retirement. He and Franny enjoyed visiting friends and family, including travels and cruises to Europe, Asia, and South America. Dick even trekked once into the rain forest of Belize.

His children and grandchildren were points of great pride and joy to Dick. He welcomed a call or news about the latest in their lives and always made every effort to show up and be supportive during good times and bad.

Dick always took a great photo—a big, easy smile—especially when Franny was standing by his side.