Rick Bailey was raised in Houston, educated locally through HISD and attended Houston Baptist University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969.  During college, he married Avie Croom and they had three wonderful children; Ty, Spring, and Ryan.  After teaching and coaching for two years in HISD, he decided to change occupations.

Marketing and sales were doors of opportunity that opened and he was blessed with success.   

After moving to Spring in 1973, he kept up his coaching through Spring Baptist Church where he started the little boys basketball league thirty-five years ago.  His son, Ty, has taken over leadership of the league allowing Rick to coach his grandchildren, Blake, Tyler and Bryce.  In 1982, Rick was asked to be a candidate for the Spring ISD school board.  Being a father that was involved with his children and after much prayer, he ran for Position 2 and was elected. He was reelected to the Spring ISD school board in ‘86, ’89, ’92 and ’95, for a total of 15 and a half years service.

Rick and Avie had together six beautiful grandchildren Blake, Tyler, Bailey, Riley, Bryce and Brooklyn and were very involved in their various activities.  Although he retired from the board, Rick continued to serve the district through various positions most recently serving on the SISD Education Foundation Board and as president of the Board of Trustees at Houston Baptist University.  The Bailey family still attends Spring Baptist Church where Rick served as a deacon, Sunday school teacher to singles, and on the ministry councils up until his passing on June 24, 2021.

Rick had a genuine heart for the education and development of all children, and left a significant impact on all those who were fortunate enough to know him.