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Frank Bailey Rackley Jr.

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Frank “Buzz” Bailey Rackley Jr., 74, passed away peacefully Friday, March 15, 2019, in Batavia, Ill., following a long illness.

He was born October 25, 1944, in Washington, a son of Marguerite Moe Rackley and Frank Bailey Rackley.

Buzz graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy, where he was captain of the polo team, and then Bethany College. Following graduation from Bethany, he was employed in sales by Jessop Steel Company, and then struck out on his own in the beverage business as co-owner of Fox River Distributing, serving Chicago’s western suburbs. His warm, believable manner helped make him a success at both of these endeavors, as well as building lifelong friendships with virtually everyone he met. And while business success was important to Buzz, so was polo. He owned, stabled and cared for his own string of polo ponies, and was a nationally-ranked polo player much of his life, even occasionally riding against the world-renowned Anheuser-Busch Budweiser team. He often was heard to say, “Polo has meant everything to me in my life,” and he was heavily involved in the Chicago Polo Clubs.

Buzz leaves behind his beloved children, Tod Rackley and Juli Rackley Shirey (Dan); granddaughters Claire and Meehan Shirey; sisters Margo Rackley Miller (Richard) and JoAnne Rackley Richardson (Jim); brother Richard P. Rackley (Karen); as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A celebration of life will be held at noon Saturday, June 15, at Blackberry Polo Fields, Lake Run Farm, 1 sr 570, Bliss Road, Batavia, IL 60510. Contributions in his name and memory may be made to Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry, 100 Finn NW Street, Batavia, IL 60510, where he often volunteered.

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