Frederick “Rick” Crystell Bayley, of Colorado Springs, CO, crossed to safety at age 78, at his home on February, 18th, 2026. 

Rick was born on January 20th, 1948, to Olive (Drechsel) and Frederick Bayley in South Orange, New Jersey. He received a Bachelors of Arts degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois where he studied sociology. He also studied Theology at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Beverly, Massachusetts, where he met the love of his life Judith “Judy” West. They married in the spring of 1975 and moved to Rocky Mount, North Carolina where they worked as house parents in a residential program for troubled youth. He went on to get a Masters in Business Administration from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and worked as a Certified Public Accountant for various firms both in the United States and abroad. He received the Servicemaster Serviceperson of the year award in 1998. This honor epitomized his strength in serving others in all aspects of his life.

If you knew Rick you knew a few things: he was deeply committed to his faith as a follower of Christ. He loved his family. He loved being outdoors and was an avid fisherman. He was a reader, a thinker, and a conversational partner.

Wherever he lived, Rick was an active and faithful member of his church community. He enjoyed facilitating the annual Elroy-Sparta bike ride for the youth of North Suburban Church in Deerfield, Illinois; served on the vestry at Church of the Redeemer in Highland Park, Illinois; and most recently, on the missions team at the International Anglican Church of Colorado Springs. 

Rick was passionate about caring for the refugee and the foreigner. He and Judy supported individuals and families seeking refuge from places like Ethiopia, the Congo, and Afghanistan. Their home was a place of refuge and conversation, where a good meal and thoughtful exchange were always on offer.

Rick loved fly fishing: from the North Platte river in his backyard, to the bonefish shallows of the Gulf of Mexico, to steelhead in Lake Michigan’s tributaries, or to Alaska’s Bristol Bay salmon rivers. If there were fish in the water, he imagined how to angle for them. Rick enjoyed meeting people and could strike up a conversation with nearly anyone, often catching a new friend while on the stream. Fishing was his passion, but more than any fish he landed, his children and grandchildren brought him the most pride.

A voracious reader, Rick also often had a crossword puzzle handy. He loved all types of music, especially folk and bluegrass music and traditional hymns. Since moving to Colorado, he found community at the Band of Brothers meeting at Angler’s Covey. In his retirement Rick became an Orvis certified fly fishing guide, and especially cherished introducing new anglers to the rivers of Colorado. In recent years he found great joy in volunteering at the Crossfire Food Pantry.

Rick is preceded in death by his parents and younger brother Ted. He is survived by his wife of 50 years Judith Bayley, his daughter Katherine (Jacob) Austin of Madison, WI; his son Timothy (Chelsea) Bayley of Tucson, AZ, and daughter Margaret (Nathan )Warn of Colorado Springs, CO. He also leaves behind his beloved grandchildren: Olive Austin, Imogene Austin, Eleanor Bayley, Eliza Austin, Piper Bayley, Miriam Warn, Luca Bayley, Theo Warn, and Brooks Bayley.

We are asking Rick’s communities of rich and varied life and relationships to share stories about his impact on their lives through a book of memories and photographs. Please share stories and photographs here: account.alifeuntold.com/contributor/tribute-for-rick-bayley

A funeral service will be held at International Anglican Church (1305 N Union Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80909) at 4:00pm on Saturday, March 28th. A memorial reception will be held following at Red Rocks Barn (2700 Robinson St. Colorado Springs, CO 80904) from 6-8pm. Please RSVP if you are able to attend the memorial reception.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the building fund at the International Anglican Church to support their quest to purchase a building. Please select “Facility Fund - immediate gift” if making an online donation.