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 Retired
Tulsa Police Lieutenant, Larry Joe Bayles, died June 20. He was
60. Bayles was born June 24, 1942. After high school, he attended
the FBI Academy and became a fingerprint expert with the FBI in
Washington, D.C., and later with the FBI National Academy in Quantico,
VA.
He moved back to Oklahoma to marry his childhood sweetheart, Quata
Byers, on Aug.25, 1961, in Stilwell. In 1963, he went to work for
the Tulsa Police Department, and retired from the department at
the rank of lieutenant in 1983.
He received the medal of valor for his actions in a 1981 shootout
in which two other Officers were shot. After his retirement, Bayles
and retired Police Officer Jim Aud, started ABC Photo Lab, but missing
police work, he joined the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office in 1988.
He again retired, this time as a major, in 1998.
Bayles' grandfather, Marion Bayles, had been a Police Officer,
and Larry Bayles' father, Marion Bayles Jr., planned to be a Police
Officer, also, but was killed in Germany during World War II.
Another generation of Bayleses, however, followed in the family
tradition of police work. Larry Bayles' son, Larry Joe "Joey"
Bayles, joined the Tulsa Police Department in 1984. A few years
later, his brother's son, Steven Bayles and Chip Bayles joined
the same police force. Steven Bayles' wife, Sandy Bayles, also
is a Tulsa Police Officer. Bayles is survived by his wife, Quata
May Bayles; a son, Larry Joe "Joey" Bayles; a daughter,
Kimberly Dawn Leflore of Owasso; his mother, Lucille Bayles of
Stilwell; a brother, Marion Ellsworth Bayles III of Stilwell;
and five grandchildren. They are Sarah Joe and Stephanie Ann Bayles
of Owasso, Shelby and Wesley Leflore of Owasso, and Samantha Joann
Bayles of Tulsa.
Lynn Jones, retired TPD major, recited a
few "Larry" stories during the eulogy. Her presentation
is as follows:
Larry Joe epitomized the phrase, "He's a really great guy."
He was, as everyone in this room knows, a man who loved his family,
a Police Officer who respected the law and served his city and a
true and loyal friend. He was simply, someone that each of us found
attractive with some quality that we wished we could emulate.
I first met Lt. Bayles when I went to graveyard shift in the
early eighties. I didn't really know him, except that he had worked
in that mysterious unit of organized crime. I was quickly introduced
to his brand of humor. I was leading the northside Baker squad
out into the field on a graveyard Saturday night. Most Tulsans
would have found that scary, but Lt. Bayles casually referred
to us as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Believe
me this was not a commentary on my character but a reference to
the fact that I was the tallest one in the squad. Sweet
and clever humor that I learned to expect from Larry.
 He
was an unflappable man in the face of crisis, while others would
lose their cool rant and carry-on, Larry would sit back and state
the obvious or make some statement that would put the whole incident
in perspective. There is now the legendary story of Joey as a
small child taking a rock and carving his ABC's on the back of
the cab of Rex Webb's new pickup.
Uncharacteristically, as Rex tells it, he lost his cool and was
about to go crazy and yelled at Larry, "Look what Joey
just did to my new truck." Larry stared at the letters
and said, "I think he got them all right."
Another time during an FOP fishing tournament with Rex, they
had borrowed Jim Aud's boat and another Officers motor. Apparently
it wasn't the best of days as the motor on the boat quit working
and other officers would tow them around the lake and cut them
loose picking them up a few hours later and towing them to another
location each time with the phrase, "here's a good spot."
About the third time Larry turns to Rex and says, "Aren't
these guys in our tournament?" Rex replies, "Yes"
"Well if this is such a good spot why aren't they fishing
here?"
Larry was a courageous man that is evidenced by the Medal of Honor
he received for the capture of the man who shot two Tulsa Police
Officers. As casual and off-handed as he could be in most situations
he never shied from the tough job of law enforcement. Jim Aud tells
of his retrieving a bomb off the top of a building, something we
wouldn't do today; but we did many things different years ago. Many
of them were dangerous. Larry did not fear some of the same things
many of us do. He wanted to experience life in all forms. His friends
tell the story of Larry going into the racing pits at the Tulsa
Speedway and talking his way into one of the race cars, only to find
himself in a race that very evening. He spun 360 degrees at every
curve just trying to find his Mojo, so to speak. Apparently after
just three weeks of racing he won a feature race at the speedway.
Pretty unheard of, for most racers. We have laughed at his bungee
jumping, his and Quata's ride in "the Bigshot" a kind
of a sling shot bungee ride. And of course the now famous parachute
jump.
Larry wanted to experience a parachute jump-something most of
wouldn't think of in our 50s' but something that held no fear
for Larry. He jumped out of a perfectly good plane and his family
and friends stood on the ground waiting for him to land. Not finding
him, Quata was heard to state, "He's probably broken
his leg." Which of course he did. When asked by friends,
incredulous to find him in the ER with a broken leg from parachute
jump, "did you have any training before the jump?,"
Larry replied, "Yeah a good 15 to 20 minutes worth."
He followed with, as soon as his leg healed he'd like to do it
again.
Loyalty in a person is such an important trait and Larry was
Loyal - both to his family and friends. Many of us found his friendship
profound in its loyalty. I know that one night on graveyard Larry
and I were riding together. He was talking about his friend Rex,
someone I knew mostly by reputation. He was telling me stories
of the times Rex would get into trouble with Jack Purdie, the
vice squad, or his then wife. Larry would talk about attempting
to bale him out, searching for him. Knowing Larry to be a straight
arrow I asked him, how he remained a friend with this rake. I
remember both his reply and where we were at, as it made that
big of an impression on me. We were exiting Highway 75 at Seventh
Street to downtown, Larry said. "I love him and I'll
always take care of him."
 Many
of us knew the chink in his armor - he loved Las Vegas - he loved
to gamble. I remember his sharing with me his sure-fire way to
win at roulette: He had a small notebook that outlined his play-bet
seven dollars on number 12. If you win, take those winnings and
go to # 20, if you lose, then bet three dollars on 17. It was
very complicated and he swore by it. He offered to make me a copy
if I was going to Vegas.
 He
next had a sure-fire way to win at craps. Jim Aud told me that
all the crap table dealers would know Larry by his first name
when he visited Vegas. But the best betting tool Larry had was
his horseracing gambit. He'd go to the horse races with 12 pennies
and he would throw them up in the air and count the ones that
came up heads, and would bet the corresponding horse in that race.
He actually won money on that one.
Larry loved a good joke. One time, sharing a desk space with
Carl Akins he was seen making a list of names. Curious of course,
Carl saw Larry write down his name. Then write a few more. Finally
Carl couldn't stand it anymore and asked Larry why his name was
on that list, Larry replied he was writing down a list of men
he could whip. Flustered Carl yelled out "you can't whip
me." Not missing a beat Larry took up the pencil and
looking and scratching said, "Ok I'll take your name
off the list."
He was unflappable unless it was something that violated his
moral code. Larry was a straight arrow, he didn't engage in activities
that could cause controversy or might embarrass him. Of course
cops being the strange ducks that they are tried to test Larry
on a regular basis. Working vice, his friends had a snitch that
was always trying to impress them with her bosom. Every time they
got information from her, she would lift up her shirt. Fairly
sure of his reaction they sent Larry into her apartment to get
information. Standing outside the door they listened and pretty
soon heard Larry let out a yelp and heard his charge to the door.
Standing on the other side they held the door shut while Larry
tried desperately to get out. Telling that story to me yesterday,
they are still laughing.
There were so many positive dimensions to the man Larry Joe Bayles.
We who were lucky enough to be a part of his life have been rewarded
many times, but I believe it was this last fight and how he addressed
it that brings us our biggest lesson. Larry simply would not stop
living. He addressed each day with all the strength that he could
muster. He planned like there was a future. Joey, Kim, your dad
bought an old Dodge and started to work on refurbishing it. He
saw a future and he kept it in his sights. Quata you wanted him
to slow down but he wasn't going to quit. He left us a great commentary
for our lives: Never Give Up. We were all blessed to know him
and have him in our lives.
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