F. William Bailey

May 14, 2020

F. William Bailey, 93, a WWII Army Veteran, passed away on May 14, 18 days after the passing of Rosalie, his beloved wife of 68 years. He was predeceased by his parents Catherine and Frank Bailey, his sister and brother-in-law June and Jim Hogan, his niece Maureen Hogan and aunt Alice Dugan. He will be dearly remembered by his children, Mary Allan (Bill), Irene Maury, Kathy Kaplan (Mike), Bill Bailey (Siobhan), and Teri Dowling (Pat); grandchildren, Beth, Billy, Caty, Allison, Luke, Frank, Laura, Matthew, Rosie, Kyle, Tara, Charlie, Katie, Paddy, Nick, Gianna, Claire and great-grandchildren, Mary and Nelle, all of whom he enjoyed spending time with. Bill also leaves behind his sisters-in-law Marie and Rosemarie Vuocolo and many adoring nieces and nephews. Upon returning from WWII, Bill graduated from St. Peter’s College and earned his Master’s Degree in Social Work from Fordham University, where fate led him to his wife Rosalie, the sister of his good friend and fellow student, Al Vuocolo. A patient and compassionate man, Bill’s core values of social justice, integrity and the dignity of each person made him ideally suited to his chosen profession. Early in his career, prior to entering private practice, Bill engaged gang members in NYC to participate in constructive community programs and counseled Veterans at Lyon’s VA Hospital. He went on to work for Catholic Charities, the Mt. Carmel Guild and as an adjunct professor at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Services. A strong proponent of community based mental health services Bill spearheaded the development of Project Haven while at Central Bergen Community Mental Health Center (Care Plus NJ) in Paramus. Project Haven became the prototype for residential community living for people with mental illness. Bill loved his profession and was an inspiration to many. Bill and family moved to Paramus in 1959. He was active in the community, coaching sports, serving as a lector and Parish Council President of Our Lady of the Visitation and member of the Knights of Columbus. He served on state and County Mental Health Boards and as a trustee on the Care Plus board for many years. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, he was a long time member of the NJ Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Bill loved life. He and Rosalie enjoyed family vacations at the shore that for many years were shared with other Paramus families. They traveled the world with a special group of lifetime friends and cousins. Bill treasured gatherings of extended family and friends, dinners with his kids and grandkids discussing current events, politics, and lively debates of history and social consciousness. His favorite pastimes included golf, reading and sailing. Rosalie and Bill were known for their devotion to each other, love of music and dancing and strong values of faith, family, education and community. A celebration of Rosalie and Bill’s lives will be announced at a later date. You are home now Bill Bailey and we will carry your heart in our hearts. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s memory can be made to: Comprehensive Behavioral Health Care c/o Program Development at 25 E. Salem Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 (cbhcare.com) or Care Plus Foundation, The Rosalie and Bill Bailey Project Haven Fund, 610 Valley Health Plaza Blvd., Paramus, NJ 07652. Both agencies will accept donations to special designated funds for those in need of residential care.