Richard Allen Bailly

Private family services for Richard Allen Bailly will be held on Thursday, March 19, 2020, at Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery’s Chapel Mausoleum in Monroe, LA. Visitation will begin at 10am followed by a memorial service at 11am with Father Craig Scott officiating.

Richard Allen Bailly passed on March 14 in Alexandria, LA. Richard was the son of the late August A. and H. Catherine Welch Bailly, and a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He is survived by his wife Madeline Lee Bailly of Alexandria, LA, four children (from his first marriage to the late Peggy M. Hopkins), and a stepson. Surviving children include: Jonathan A. Bailly, wife Austen, and two grandchildren, Leonce and Jane of Bentonville, AR; Margaret W. Bailly Pullen, husband David Pullen, and two granddaughters, Amelia and Vivienne of New Orleans, LA; Elizabeth Bailly Bloch and husband Christopher Bloch of Lafayette, LA; Sarah D. Bailly, husband Donald Keller, and two grandsons, August and Maximilian of Ville Platte, LA; and stepson Joseph Collier, wife Ginger, and two daughters Shelby and Caroline of Stonewall, LA. Surviving siblings include Donna Rae Roselle of Colorado Springs, CO, and Christine Petersoli of Williamstown, NC. He is predeceased by his parents, sister Marie Poppert, and brothers Gerard Bailly and Donald Bailly.

Richard was born in Bronx, NY, on September 30, 1941, and raised in Lenox, MA. He attended Cranwell Preparatory School in Lenox and subsequently entered the Jesuit Seminary where he spent over 10 years. This experience led Richard into a life of public service, and inspired him to live by the motto “If you want peace, work for justice.”
Richard received a B.A. in Classics and an M.A. in Sociology, both from Fordham University. Early in his career, he was a talented teacher at various institutions including the Cranwell Preparatory School, Peter Claver High School in Grand Coteau, LA, and St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. Following teaching he pursued a career in law.

Richard graduated from Louisiana State University Law School in 1977, with honors as a member of both the Order of the Coif and the top ten percent of his class. He clerked in the Court of Appeals in Lake Charles and Shreveport, then served in Monroe as the Executive Director of North Louisiana Legal Assistance Corp. (Legal Aid). Later he worked for private practices in Monroe and in Bastrop. His final professional position was Assistant Attorney General in Alexandria. Richard served on the board of the Louisiana State Bar Association as a Hearing Committee Chairperson and Assistant Bar Examiner from 1996 until his retirement in 2005.

Passionate about social issues and human rights, Richard was a firm supporter of multiple charities throughout his life including Amnesty International, the Maryknoll Sisters, Doctors without Borders, and Habitat for Humanity. He was also a stalwart supporter of his local Catholic parishes and served as a CASA volunteer in Alexandria.

He was an avid sports fan and coached his children’s softball and basketball teams throughout their youth. Richard maintained his sports fan roots through unwavering support of the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, and New England Patriots.

The family would like to show appreciation for the loving care provided by Serenity Hospice of Alexandria, particularly Carolyn Wrease, and by Richard’s personal caregivers, Lori Randell and Phyllis Lee. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Alzheimer’s Association.