Richard "Dick" J. Bay
3/28/35 to 12/17/23

At the age of 88, Dick Bay was reunited with his parents, both sisters and his only daughter, Sandi Marie. He passed peacefully at home under the care of Serenity Hospice and to their staff we are eternally grateful.

Dick served in United States Navy from 1954-1957 as a Frogman with an Underwater Demolition Team.  His five-man dive team was mostly assigned to U. S Marine Force Reconnaissance Unit serving in East Asia region.  His areas of operations focused around the countries of North Korea and China.

He married his high school sweetheart, Carolee McCready, and they raised 4 children, Sandi Marie, Richard, Todd and Steven.  He lived on the coast, working as a logger and commercial fisherman.

In 1958, he became a City of Toledo Police Officer.  Within a couple of years, he moved the family to Salem, Oregon to go to college getting a degree in accounting. Once again he started his law enforcement career as a Marion County Deputy Sheriff. He served from 1963-1985 and Dick Bay rose through the ranks to become a top administrator with the office.  Throughout his career, he was instrumental with developing Marion County's Search and Rescue Teams, The Sheriff's Office Reserve Deputy Program and developing the first Statewide Oregon Police Academy to certify Law Enforcement Officers .  He believed in community policing and partnerships with the citizens of Marion County. As such, he spearheaded establishing the first Boys and Girls Club of Salem and other youth and law enforcement programs.

After 47 years of marriage, Carolee lost her battle with kidney disease.

In 2003, Dick married Lynn Thomson and for the next 20 years they loved each other with their combined families.  He enjoyed physically helping or just giving advice on anything from pruning trees to building backyard decks, or just a comforting common-sense voice.

Dick leaves behind 15 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. He was forever grateful to live long enough to welcome each and every one of them into this world.

It is difficult to reduce to words the impact Dick had on his coworkers, friends and family.  Often people describe Dick with words like integrity, hero, and legend, which still fails to sum up his kindness, generosity, courage and leadership.

It's amazing the amount of people that knew Dick Bay, sometimes for only one thing or another, like his beautiful woodworking or being a Sheriff Administrator that was beloved by his deputies and the community, or just that he knew more than anyone else when it came to gardening or baking the world's greatest apple pie.

He will always be remembered.

Graveside Services will be held at Pratum Cemetery on Saturday, Feb. 17th, 2024, at 12:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.  Also following the service, a place has been prepared to gather at the Silverton Elks Lodge, 300 High St., Silverton, OR.