July 17, 1947 - April 6, 2021
Richard Lee Bailey, age 73 of Minneapolis. We mourn the loss of a vibrant soul, Richard Lee Bailey, who passed away on April 6th, 2021, after a valiant two year struggle with pulmonary fibrosis. Wilbert and Maybelle Bailey welcomed their only child on July 17, 1947. After spending two years living in Paris, Richie spent what he called his "Wonder Bread years" in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he played baseball, swam daily, delivered newspapers on his Schwinn, sang and traveled with the Lincoln Boys' Choir, practiced piano, and when all that was done, relaxed with cold chocolate milk and pretzels. He later attended Lincoln Northeast High School where he played clarinet in the band and was on the varsity swimming team.
Richie's adventures continued at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, where he majored in and earned his degree in history. His career experiences were wide ranging, from selling Sara Lee baked goods to setting up auctions of heavy equipment to working for the state of Minnesota.