William Richard "Dick" Bay

William Richard “Dick“  Bay

August 3, 1930-July 3, 2023

Dick Bay, age 92, died July 3, 2023, in Amarillo.

Memorial mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Monday, July 10, 2023, at St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, 1200 S. Washington St. in Amarillo.

A memorial/celebration service will be held 6:30-7:30 p.m., Monday, July 10, 2023, at Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S—Georgia St. in Amarillo.

Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home.

Dick was born to Marina and Richard Bay in Horton, KS, on August 3, 1930. He had one sister, Mary Ann Bay, who was born with Cerebral Palsy and confined to a wheelchair. Dick and Mary Ann never let this hinder their playtime in the neighborhood! He was rolling her along so fast that one day the wheel from the chair broke right off!

The family moved to Fairbury, Nebraska, where Dick attended St. Michael's Catholic School. In 1939 the family moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where he attended Our Lady of Lourdes grade school, Creighton Preparatory, and Creighton University, graduating in 1953. In his junior year at Creighton, he began his career in television as an announcer at KMTV, a career that lasted 30 years. This took him to TV stations in Missouri, Texas, and Ohio to broadcast news and sports. He was awarded an Emmy in news while in Ohio and became the TV play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati American Hockey League team. Dick was also the announcer for Amarillo's original hockey team, the Wranglers, in the 1960s. Dick was known as “The Voice of the Buffs” as the play-by-play announcer for West Texas football from 1983-1989. He was married for 53 years to his loving wife, Jean. They were wed at St. Patrick's church in Fremont, Nebraska. They had 6 children, four boys and two girls. Dick and Jean loved traveling together. Dick left television in 1980 and returned to Amarillo, where he entered the insurance business with Mutual of Omaha. Dick finally retired in October of 2021 at the age of 91!

Dick was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral, serving as Lector, Eucharistic minister, and member of the Perpetual Adoration Group. Dick was an avid reader with a passion for classical music, studying piano for 18 years.  He loved attending the Amarillo Symphony.

Instead of flowers, Memorials are suggested to the Prayer Town Project Emmanuel (https://disciplesofthelordjesuschrist.org).

Dick was preceded in death by his sister Mary Ann, wife Jean, two sons Robert and David, and one grandson J Thomas. Dick is survived by daughter Nora Shirley, son Chris and wife Cindy, son Casey, and daughter Mary Nell and husband Kraig Hunt. Dick is also survived by his nephew Bill Bloch and grandchildren Matt Horn, Megan Chioccola, Michael Bay, Courtney and husband Brian Love, Matthew Hunt and Madison Fryer, and Melissa and husband Dawson Tolley. He was also survived by great-grandchildren Adam, Jase, Emily, Molly, Evanna, and Jane.