Leo Bassett Baird

Leo Bassett Baird
Mar. 20, 1921 – Feb. 17, 2011

Leo Bassett Baird, 89, passed away February 17, 2011 in Elko, NV where he lived with his eldest son, Wally, and family. Leo was born to Everett and Marie Baird March 20, 1921 in Cowley, WY, enjoying an amazing childhood of hard work and love. He learned the value of family at an early age, a tradition he carried throughout his life and taught to his children and grandchildren. He graduated as Student Body President from Cowley High School in 1939 and joined the United States Navy in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served on the USS President Hayes for three years and finished his last year of honorable military service in California.
December 28, 1944, Leo married Dorothy Eyre, "the most beautiful woman in the world" for time and all eternity in the LDS Salt Lake Temple. Leo and Dorothy lived and raised their family in Cowley, Wyoming until 1963 when they moved to Arlington, WA for the remainder of their 63 years together. Leo worked for Dickson Construction and G & D Logging; his family and friends. He served as a loving Bishop for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Arlington, WA Ward and served faithfully in the Seattle Temple for a number of years. In 1986 he and his sweetheart furthered their faith by serving a mission for the LDS Church in the Genealogy Library in Salt Lake City, UT. He always had an "I say howdy" for everyone he met and a "see ya in the spring" for every friend he left.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Everett and Marie Baird; his sister, June; brother, Burt; and his eternal companion, Dorothy Eyre.
Leo is survived by his children, Wallace Eyre (Avilda) Baird, of Elko, NV, Ann Baird, of Arlington, Darel Eyre (Carol) Baird, of Layton, UT, Lee Eyre Baird, of Arlington, Terry Eyre (Denise) Baird, of Darrington, WA, and Peggy (Quinton) Tanner, of Arlington; siblings, Helen (John) Dickson, of Arlington, Cathern Harston, of Enumclaw, WA, Flora Miller, of Fallon, NV, Bessie Zeller, of Lovell, WY, Rhea Willey, of Orem, UT, Alice (Ron) Brownell, of Enumclaw, WA, and Frank (Georgia) Baird, of North Edwards, CA; 17 grandchildren; and 31 great-grandchildren.
A visitation time will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, March 3, 2011, at Weller Funeral Home, 327 N. MacLeod Ave., Arlington. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, March 4, 2011, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, State Route 530 and Arlington Heights Road, Arlington.