United States Navy Air Force World War II Veteran Flight Instructor.
Bobby Frank Baird age 87 passed away after a lengthy illness at UMC in Lubbock on February 9, 2010.
Bob was born on May 12, 1922 in Ft. Worth, Texas. His parents were Pollard and Naomi Baird.
In his youth, Bob spent his summers in Dickens and Kent Counties enjoying ranch life. He attended Paschall High and TCU before joining the Navy and the Army Air Corp., which he served as a Flight Instructor during World War 11. He married Thelma Doris Blackman of Fort Worth, June 30, 1945 in Denver, Colorado. After serving his country, he and Thelma moved to Dickens County and assumed operation of his grandparents ranch the Toby Smith Homestead Ranch in the Red Mud Community. Bob loved his cattle, his pets and was a avid sports fan.
Survivors include Thelma his wife, one daughter Toni and son-in-law David Carwford; grandson Stormy and his wife Gwen Crawford, granddaughter Brandy and her husband Bryan Merrick all of Plainview, Texas. A grandson Cody Crawford of Lubbock, Texas; great granddaughters Candra and Sydney Crawford of Plainview, Texas.
Services will be Saturday February 13, 2010 at the First Baptist Church in Spur, Tx at 2:00 P.M. with Eric Swenson officiating with Rev. Tommy Henderson assisting. Interment will follow at the Red Mud Cemetery under the direction of Campbell Funeral Home.
©Lubbock Avalanche Journal, Saturday, February 12, 2010
Thelma Baird, 93 of Spur TX passed away April 10, 2015 at the Crosbyton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Thelma was born to Joseph and Margaret Blackmon on August 9, 1921 in Ft. Worth TX. She graduated from Paschal High School. Shortly after graduation, Thelma rode on the back of a motorcycle from Ft. Worth to Amarillo in a sundress and high heels to catch a train from Amarillo Texas to Denver Colorado. Thelma married her Ft. Worth grade-school sweetheart, Bobby Frank Baird on June 30, 1945 in Denver CO while Bob was stationed there as a Flight Instructor for the Army Air Core. They lived in a charming vine-covered cottage while in Denver.
Soon after Bob was discharged from the Army Air Core, Bob and Thelma made their way to "the country" in a red Chevrolet convertible and a large collie dog to make their home in Dickens/Kent counties on "The Red Mud Ranch"; the Toby Smith homestead of Bob's grandparents.
Bob and Thelma were soon blessed with twins, Toby and Toni on October 2, 1948 in Crosbyton TX. Toby died shortly after birth.
Thelma was a classy city girl that adapted well to ranch life. She enjoyed her trips "to town" in the summertime, dressing in sundresses and high-heel shoes to do her grocery shopping. She was a hard-working woman. Thelma painted her house on the ranch three different times by herself and never complained over 43 years of living in the ranch house and "drawing" thousands of buckets of drinking water from the cistern.
Thelma loved her 3 grandchildren; her favorite times being the times she spent with them during the summer months on the ranch. Thelma and the grandchildren would spend a lot of time at the stock tanks and the creek. "Grandmother" was a crack shot with the BB gun and could out shoot her grandchildren.
Bob and Thelma moved "to town" in 1988.
Those who have preceded Thelma in death are her parents, five sisters, three brothers, son Toby, and her husband Bob Baird.
Survivors include daughter Toni Crawford and husband David of Spur; a brother, Bill Blackmon of Ft. Worth; 3 grandchildren-Stormy Crawford and wife Gwen of Plainview; Brandy Merrick and husband Bryan of Plainview; and Cody Crawford and Daniel Montoya of Colorado Springs CO; 2 great-grandchildren, Candra Moody of Amarillo and Sydney Crawford of Plainview; and 1 great-great grandchild, Payzli Moody of Amarillo.
Funeral Services are under the direction of Zapata Funeral Home-Spur and are scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at 2pm in Spur at the First Baptist Church. Burial will be at the Red Mud Family Cemetery.
Visitation is scheduled for Monday, April 13, 2015 from 6pm - 8pm at Zapata Funeral Home.
©Obituary courtesy of Zapata Funeral Home
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