John Lovelace Dailey, Jr.

John Lovelace Dailey Jr 

John Lovelace Dailey, Jr. was born in Extension, Louisiana on August 1, 1923, to John Lovelace and Lela Dailey. His birth name was Clyde Neil Dailey, after two men who would be some of his favorite uncles — his mother’s brother Clyde and his father’s brother Neil.  When he was six years old his teacher asked him his name and he refused to say. He later admitted to his father that he did not like his name. When asked what he would rather be named, he said he’d rather have his father’s name.  His name was then legally changed to John Lovelace Dailey, Jr. This change meant little to his sister Mattie Claire, who called him “Bubba,” a name that stuck with many, many others. Besides “Bubba,” he was known as “Red,” “Rojo,” “John,” “Dad,” “Pop,” and the more formal “Mr. Bubba.”

John attended school at Fort Necessity High School, where his mother taught first grade. His memory, impeccable throughout his life, extended back to his high school days — he could recite “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in Latin, a trick he learned in his high school Latin class.  He graduated from Fort Necessity at age 15 and followed in both of his parents’ footsteps by attending Louisiana Polytechnic Institute — now Louisiana Tech.

In 1943, in the middle of World War II,  John enlisted in the U. S. Army. John joined the 82nd Airborne Division when stationed in England and fought in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium as a member of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. On Dec.  31, 1944, he was hit by a German mortar round, and the resulting injury ended his combat service. After an eight-month recovery, he returned to duty, serving until his discharge in February 1946. 

On March 4, 1946, John went to work for the Carter Oil Company, a subsidiary of Esso — now Exxon Mobile. While working in Venezuela, he met the love of his life, Barbara Johnson. The two married on April 14, 1951, and moved to Illinois where they welcomed their three children: Martha, Jack and Bob. 

John’s job as a production engineer and executive took the family from Illinois to Oklahoma, before kickstarting years of moves to Colombia, Jamaica, Florida, Venezuela, Indonesia and finally back home to Louisiana. His intellect, talents and valued opinions were put to use solving problems across continents and hemispheres. After 37 years with Exxon, John retired in 1983 as president of Monterrey Pipeline Company. 

John and Barbara returned to the family farm in Extension in 1983, building a home so close to John’s birthplace it could be seen from their bedroom window. For decades, John and Barbara tended to the house John was born in, which included feeding the occasional stray cat that claimed the yard as its own. The two attended Boeuf Prairie Methodist Church where generations of Daileys had worshiped. Avid golfers, the couple created a 9-hole golf course in the cow pasture on the farm where they played daily. 

In 1983, the same year he retired, John and his son Jack began a 40-year farming partnership on Boeuf Prairie Farm. During this time, John served as president of Franklin Parish Farm Bureau, president of Boeuf Prairie Gin and president of Franklin Cotton Warehouse. He also served his new industry as a delegate to the National Cotton Council and a Louisiana member of Cotton Incorporated. He was deeply involved in the restoration of the Princess Theatre in 1992; a founding member of the Princess Theatre Foundation; and an active member of the theater. Always one to promote education, he continued to be involved in the Louisiana Tech Engineering Foundation. 

John was soft spoken, but his voice was always heard. He was bold, adventurous and determined, and served as a role model in the community wherever he lived. His memory was near-infallible — the details of stories from over 80 years ago came naturally. John had a tremendous love for his family. He said Bogotá, Colombia was his favorite place he lived, because his children were all in one place and had not left for school. 

John had an active social life with his wife Barbara, his true partner and best friend. Their love for each other, always evident, never dimmed throughout their 72-year marriage. They entertained frequently and were known for their gatherings — until very recently, John could be found in his tuxedo until midnight on New Year’s Eve.  John loved his vegetable garden, and it is perhaps a testament to his natural determination that he loved to grow orchids — his collection of the flowers was well known.

John is survived by his wife, Barbara; his children Martha, Jack and Bob; and their spouses. He was richly blessed with nine grandchildren — Jenny, John, Kevin, Matt, Jean Anne, Cliff, Scott, Justin, Angel, John and Courtney — and multiple great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind Betty Walters, a niece who he loved as a daughter. His legacy of integrity, intellect and involvement will live on in the values he taught to his family and the love he showed them daily.

In remembrance of John’s life, the family asks that any charitable donations be made to the Louisiana Tech University Foundation, Engineering and Science Excellence, P. O. Box 1190, Ruston, Louisiana, 71273 or made online at latechalumni.org.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Boeuf Prairie Methodist Church with Rev. Fran Guy and Rev. Rex Barker officiating.  Interment will follow in the Family Cemetery in Extension, LA under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home Winnsboro, LA. 

Visitation will be held from 9:30 A.M. until Service Time on Thursday.