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302-478-7100 Wilmington & Hockessin, DE

Rufus King Bayard

Rufus King Bayard, 73 years old, of Wilmington, DE passed away peacefully Saturday October 20, 2018.

He was a real estate investor, owning property in the city where he was raised. He enjoyed being his own manager and found great satisfaction doing many of the maintenance jobs. If he could do it himself, he would.

Rufus enjoyed his memberships of many groups including Aurora Gun Club of which he was a past president, The Wilmington Club, Ducks Unlimited, The Society of Colonial Wars, and many more organizations celebrating local history and nature.

In the early 1980’s, Rufus and some of his close friends founded the Delaware Croquet Club. Rufus won many club, invitational, and regional titles over the years. At one point, he was ranked number ten in the Nation. He also served as a Regional Vice President for the United States Croquet Society. He loved the game and shared his love through organizing and running tournaments and coaching young and old alike.

Traveling and socializing was something he enjoyed with many friends, many places. He loved a good party! Good times included sailing, hunting, shooting, traveling and gardening. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge about his lifelong interests of local and national history, food, drink, animals, and plants. Rufus had a keen wit and enjoyed clever banter with anyone willing to join him. Not everyone could keep up with him, but those who could will never forget.

He is survived by his wife Hope Bromley, his daughters Sophie Bayard of Portland, Oregon, and Louisa Bayard of Wilmington, Delaware and grandson Finley Rufus Bayard; stepson Christopher Jennings Jr., of Spring House, Pennsylvania; stepdaughter Elise Coyle of Boise, Idaho; and siblings Nancy Bayard, Antonia Phinney, and Samuel Bayard. He is predeceased by his brother James Bayard.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in memory of Rufus King Bayard to these nonprofits he supported: Hagley Museum and Library, PO Box 3630, Wilmington, DE 19807, King Manor Museum 90-04 161 Street, Suite 704, Jamaica, NY 11432, or National Audubon Society 225 Varick St, New York, NY 10014

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Funeral Services

The memorial service will be held on November 10, 2018, at 11:00am at Christ Church Christiana Hundred, 505 East Buck Road, Wilmington, DE 19807. Reception to follow.

Condolences

    Ross Robinson writes,
    Sincere condolences from Canada. What a gentleman and sportsman. In 1989 at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club, Rufus and I met in the final game of the Ontario Open. He was the better player, but I got lucky and won the championship. It had been a hard fought game, and he was just as happy as I was to have been one half of it. Great memories.
    10/31/2018 02:15 pm
    Ted Donahue writes,
    Rufus was one of a kind....a gentleman in a world gone crazy....a rollicking giant of a human being...and a great croquet opponent on and off the fields. It's been many years since our paths crossed but it seems like only yesterday to me. He represented Delaware so very well. May God grant you peace, serenity and many more victories on that great croquet pitch in the sky.
    11/01/2018 09:16 am
    Stuart Lawrence writes,
    My condolences to Hope and all of Rufus' family. In 1990, Rufus was one of the first to get me started in croquet, on a lawn in Wilmington that doesn't exist any more. All along the way since then, his good-humored approach to the game and to life in general made him a treasure. I will miss him very much.
    11/01/2018 04:03 pm
    John Hunter lit a candle and writes,
    I can't remember when I first met Rufus, but it involved croquet and I new it would be a lifelong friendship. The Delaware/Marion group were special people and it would be impossible for me to relate even a small portion of the joy with Rufus and "our" game. My last game with him was at Piping Rock last year. It was obvious he was fading but he gave it his all. Rich Curtis was on the board and we just sat and cheered him on, for all the memories. My deepest condolences to Hope and the greater family. People like Rufus are what the game is all about. Bless him in peace.
    11/05/2018 10:19 am

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