Reverend Rodney E Dailey

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path.” Proverbs 3: 5-6 KJV

Rev. Rodney Dailey started his purposeful life on October 19, 1956, in Miami, Florida. He was the second oldest child of Joretha and Harry Dailey. He traveled and migrated ending up in Boston, MA where he graduated from English High School. Years later he earned his associates degree in science from Roxbury Community College and hisbachelor’s degree in human service management from the University of Massachusetts Boston. He was two classes away from completing his master’s degree in Urban Ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and would have graduated in May of 2023. He also completed fellowships at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning
and Northeastern University’s Law Institute. He was a Veteran of the United
States.
Rodney was the loving husband of Rev. Janine Dailey for 29 years and from this union three children were born - Amara, Rodney II and Janaya. Rodney was an amazing dad and was always fully engaged with his children from birth. He had a  special relationship with each of them.

Rodney’s life was transformed …. He lived a life in the streets, was homeless and addicted to drugs, yet God had another plan for him. He was never ashamed to share his story about where he had come from to inspire others with hope from his testimony. His transformation led to Gang Peace, a one-of-a-kind program he founded to help the most at-risk youth in Boston’s inner city. His go-to saying to  the young people who came through the program was “life is more than a drug game.” Rodney’s work with gangs, at risk youth, and his specific methodology gained him local and national attention and accolades. Many young men and women who went through the program changed their lives for the better.

Rev. Rodney was ordained as a local elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He acknowledged his call under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Leroy Attles, former Pastor of St Paul AME in Cambridge MA, where he served for over 25 years in various capacities: Trustee, President and Treasurer of the men’s choir, and a member of the ministerial staff. In April 2019, Rev Rodney became the Associate Minister of New Bethel AME church in Lowell, MA where his wife Rev. Janine Dailey serves as the Pastor. Reverend Dailey served as the Conference Coordinator of the New England Annual Conference Sons of Allen Ministry and most recently served as the First Episcopal District Sons of Allen Coordinator and the Connectional Sons of Allen Chair of the Commission on Christian Service. His passion and love for the Sons of Allen was evident in everything he did. He ignited a movement for brothers to come together, pray together, and to heal together.

To know Rodney was to love and appreciate him and his passion for making a
difference in the lives of others. He was dependable and always willing to lend
a helping hand. His smile was contagious and his warm and selfless personality
moved him to interact with people of all ages and backgrounds. He was a
blessing to all who came across his path, as his kindness and spirituality led
him to walk beside and support anyone, most of all those who society discounted
or ignored.

His love for the Lord was paramount; it was demonstrated in his daily walk and
passion as he shared the good news of the gospel. Rev. Rodney poured out everything God deposited in him, and he was a tremendous gift to the body of
Christ.

Rev. Rodney leaves to celebrate his legacy, his beloved wife Janine Dailey, his
children Amara, Rodney II and Janaya Dailey; his brothers Victor, Gary, and
Bruce Dailey, and his sisters, Sherry and Pamela Dailey; his mother-in-law
Willa Grant; sister and brother-in-law Deborah and Jeff Fair; nephews and
nieces Francis, Nicholas, Charles, Fiskey and Sheree Fiskey Starkey; his church
families St. Paul AME Cambridge and New Bethel AME Lowell, and a host of
family, friends and people who were touched by Rodney’s life, testimony and
ministry.

Rodney will live on forever in our hearts.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Rev. Rodney was an outreach specialist, founder, and architect of two successful gang
prevention programs in the City of Boston which operated for 20 + years. These
programs were later identified as part of the miracle when there were no murders for
two years in Boston.

Rodney is a published author of Gang Peace to Street Peace, The Untold Story
(2016).

Rodney organized the first march for gang violence in Boston and helped
organize the First National Gang Summit in Kansas City.
He received over 90 awards from local & national organizations &
governments.

The 43rd President of the United States awarded him and the Gang Peace Program
the 1000th Point of Light Presidential Award. The program was later re-awarded by
the 44th President of the United States, President Barack Obama.

Rev. Rodney was the founder of Prayer Changes Things Outreach Ministry; blessing
blocks weekly in communities overcome by violence, and praying for peace and
longevity.

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