SEYBERT LEON BAISDEN

1942 - 2019

SEYBERT LEON BAISDEN began his eternal life in Heaven, with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, August 12, 2019. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 12 p.m. at Cox Landing United Methodist Church, Lesage, W.Va., with Rev. Jerry Ryder officiating. Entombment will follow at Ridgelawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends after 11 a.m. at the church. Leon was born January 28, 1942 in Madison, W.Va., the son of the late Seybert C. and Iva Berry Baisden. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife of 42 years, Deloris Thomas Baisden. He graduated from Scott High School in 1959 and was given the honor of Who's Who in American High Schools. He received many awards in the FFA and was recognized nationally as an animal judge, basic dairy cattle and land judging. Attending college at Marshall University, University of Kentucky and State College of Arkansas, Leon majored in history and safety education and earned two master's degrees in education administration and vocational education. Mr. Baisden had a passion for teaching and working with children. He taught for 30 years at various schools including Fairfield School and Barboursville High School. He was an administrator at the Cabell County Vocational Technical Center and later, director of maintenance for the county school system. He was a member of Cox Landing United Methodist Church. Mr. Baisden is a master mason, a member of Minerva Lodge 13, Barboursville, W.Va., and a 32 degree mason, a member of the Scottish Rite Body, Huntington. Serving in the Air Force from 1962-66, Leon served in 26 countries and five continents, spending a tour in south east Asia in 1965, including Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam as an operation specialist in the special forces. He is survived by his loving wife and faithful friend, Betty Coppola Baisden formerly of Stamford, Conn.; his two children, both educators, David (Susan) Baisden of Huntington, W.Va., and Tanya (Ron) Hill of Milton, W.Va., step-son Brian (Dawn) Coppola of Shelton, Conn., a sister, Shirley (Morris) Edmunds, grandchildren Josh (Kara) Baisden, Megan (Gary) Davis, Meredith (Jeff) Withrow, Cassie Hill, Shelby Hill and Mia Coppola, nine great-grandchildren, buddies, neighborhood friends Fred Ryder and Tommy Musser, his precious Chihuahua, Maggie Mae, and a special brother-in-law, Rossie White. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.beardmortuary.com.