James "Rex" Baird

1932 - 2020

James "Rex" Baird

September 22, 1932 - December 13, 2020

James "Rex" Baird, 88, of Hillsborough, passed away peacefully Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, at his home. He was born Sept. 22, 1932, in Drexel, to the late Clyde M. Baird and the late Carrie Burns Baird, of Burke County.

After graduating from high school in 1950, Rex joined the U.S. Navy and served from 1951 to 1954. It was during that time, Dec. 20, 1952, that he married Sally Smith of Valdese. Following his time in the Navy, he went to college at Appalachian State University, graduating in 1957 with a B.S. degree, and then a M. Ed. Degree from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1958. While working towards his doctoral degree, Rex taught Biology and Botany classes at UNC-Chapel Hill from 1959 to 1963, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., from 1963 to 1966, then back at UNC-Chapel Hill until 1968, where he received his PH.D in Botany. During his time at UNC, Rex catalogued about 300 botanical specimens that he collected for the UNC Herbarium. He frequently collected with Harry E. Ahles for the "Flora of the Carolinas" project which was the basis for the 1968 book, Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.

He took a position at Clinch Valley College (now known as University of Virginia's College at Wise) in Wise, Va. He served there as a Professor of Biology from 1968 to 2000. While there, Rex served on various advisory boards for the college as well as Chairman of the Science Dept. for several years. Rex retired from UVa-Wise after serving for 32 years, and was Professor Emeritus of Biology. The J. Rex Baird Scholarship Award in Biology was established in 2010 by Sally Smith Baird, in honor of her husband. In addition to serving on the faculty at UVa-Wise, Rex was co-chair of the Flora Committee of the Virginia Academy of Sciences. He was also an advisor to the Flora of Virginia Project, which culminated with the 2012 publication of Flora of Virginia by Alan S. Weakley, J. Christopher Ludwig and John F. Townsend

In addition to his work in the academic world, Rex was an active carpenter. He often spent summers building houses or remodeling projects, some that he and his family would live in, and some for others. Rex worked on houses and housing construction projects for several years through Habitat for Humanity.

Rex had an older brother, Rondall, who was killed in action as a Marine on Iwo Jima Island in 1945.

Rex is survived by his wife, Sally Baird; an older brother, Lloyd (Mabel) of Madison; and a younger brother, Clyde Hughland (Barbara, deceased) of Morganton. In addition, Rex is survived by his and Sally's two children. James Rex Baird Jr. (Paula) of Hillsborough, and Donald Eugene Baird (Jaynee) of Fredericksburg, Va.; three grandchildren, Justin Brent Baird (Anna) of Bethesda, Md., Shannon Shelton (Daniel) of Chesapeake, Va., and Lindsay Shirey (Cameron) of Clayton; and five great-grandchildren, Parker, Lyla, Adeline of Chesapeake, Va., and Hudson, Emory of Bethesda, Md. Rex is also survived by various nieces, nephews and other extended family.

A memorial service will be scheduled at a later time. Memorial gifts can be made to UVa-Wise, www.uvawise.edu/advancement/ways-give/tributary-gifts; Alzheimer's Foundation of America, online at www.alzfdn.org/ or at 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001; and AuthoraCare Collective Hospice Care, 914 Chapel Hill Rd., Burlington, NC 27215.

Clements Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. of Hillsborough

www.clementsfuneralservice.com