William BAIRD

1931 - 2022

BAIRD, William Edward

Of Centerville, OH, died at home after an extended illness on March 10, 2022. He was born to Irish immigrants the late William and Margaret (Maginnis) Baird in Orange, New Jersey, on October 11, 1931. He grew up in Kearny, New Jersey, and graduated from Kearny High School in 1949. He then attended college on an NROTC scholarship at SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schuyler in the Bronx, graduating in 1953 with a degree of Bachelor of Marine Engineering, and a reserve commission in the U.S. Navy. After graduation, Bill was hired by General Electric to join their test training program. He worked briefly in Lynn, Massachusetts, and then in Evendale, Ohio. In March 1954, he requested that the Navy activate his commission. They did, and after three weeks training he was flown to San Francisco, then took a Navy flying boat to Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, arriving on May 15, 1954. He joined his ship, the destroyer U.S.S. Rowe (DD-564), which was on its around the world cruise, visiting many ports of call before returning to Norfolk, VA. He served on the ship from 1954-1956. After the Navy, he returned to General Electric, mostly in Evendale, Ohio as part of their Aircraft Engines division. In December, 1993, he retired after 40 years of service. As a tech rep for General Electric, he was sent to Wright Patterson Air Force base in Dayton, Ohio, where he met Marilee Sewell in 1957 on a blind date, and married her a year later, despite her having driven his silver 1956 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing with red leather interior with the emergency brake on. They lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for a short while before relocating to Kettering, Ohio in 1959. In April of 1960, their son Billy was born. In July of that year, they bought the home in Centerville, Ohio that they would share for the next 61 years. In August, 1962, their daughter Julie was born. Bill and Marilee loved to travel with their children. He also enjoyed reading, playing bridge and the Dick Van Dyke show. After retirement, he volunteered at the National Aviation Hall of Fame, and installed the first computer system for book circulation at the Incarnation School library. Bill and Marilee also enjoyed taking a variety of world cruises. Bill was a quiet, unassuming, and generous man. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and will be missed by all. He is survived by his wife Marilee (Sewell) Baird, his son William Edward Jr. (Sherry Anderson) of Indianapolis, IN, his daughter Julia Baker of Lebanon, OH, his grandchildren Suzanna (Zach) of Indianapolis and Will Hartzell-Baird (Una) of Indianapolis, and five great-grandchildren, Chase, Drake, Suzy, Liam, and Scarlett, sister-in-law Fran

(Harold) Oberlin, and numerous nieces and nephews. Honorable mention also goes to their cat (Chelsea) and granddog (Maxim). Visitation 11a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 19, 2022 at Tobias Funeral Home – Far Hills Chapel, 5471 Far Hills Avenue, Dayton, Ohio 45429, with the funeral service at 1:00 p.m. Burial in Martinsville I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Martinsville, Ohio. Memorial contributions may be made to the Incarnation School Library, 45 Williamsburg Lane, Centerville, OH 45459. Condolences may be sent to www.tobiasfuneralhome.com