Dale Seymour Baird

Dale Seymour Baird concluded 95 years marked by faith, civic service and entrepreneurship on the 30th of December, 2025, in Houston, Texas. Dale was born on February 9, 1930 in Guthrie, Oklahoma to Ralph Edward and Joya Lucille Bowen Baird and grew up in Claremore, Oklahoma. Dale married his college sweet heart, Betty Vionia Lowe on August 31, 1951. Dale and Betty had four daughters. Betty passed away in 1980 leaving a deep void in Dale's life. Twenty years later, in 2000, he met and married the woman who would "knock his socks off", Carlotta Brown Cherry. Her adult sons, Brian and Steven and their families were his delight. Dale often said he was happily married twice. Dale is survived by his brother John Baird, sisters-in-law Martha Lamascus and Joan Lowe, his four daughters and their husbands, Betty Jane and Phil Eubanks, Terry and Marty Davis, Judy and Tom Hinds, Martha and Brian Hooker, ten grandchildren Clint Eubanks, Travis Eubanks, Caleb Davis, Luke Davis, Hannah Parsons, Samantha Deitch, David Hinds, Michael Hinds, Lindsay Clark and Jake Hooker, twenty-three great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents Ralph and Joya Baird, his sister Francis Allesandro, his first wife Betty Baird and his second wife Carlotta Baird.

Dale graduated from Claremore High School in 1948. Upon the urging of an uncle who promised to buy him a slide rule if he enrolled in engineering, Dale graduated from Oklahoma State University with a BS in Engineering in 1953. He went to work for Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville, OK the day after graduation. He earned his Masters in Engineering in 1958 by going to school evenings and weekends. He held several positions at Phillips Petroleum, starting as a Materials Engineer, later working in the Standards Section, and then as a Management Analyst and ending his career as the supervisor of the Contracts Section in Corporate Engineering. He was heavily involved with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and served as President of the Mid-Continent section. Dale encouraged engineers to take ownership of their career. "An employer can give you a job, but you must be responsible for building it." He also cautioned against allowing one's employer to dictate career moves and transfers to the detriment of family interests. "Do not let your job become your life. God and family should come first. My success was having a really fine family." He worked for Phillips 31 years, before taking early retirement at the age of 55.

Dale was a visionary which led him to become a prominent real estate investor in Bartlesville. Throughout a period of 50 years, as an individual and through a variety of partnerships, he owned thirty rental homes, two apartment complexes, one commercial center and five parking lots. He was a member and served as President of the Downtown Bartlesville Kiwanis Club. He was an active member at the 6th and Dewey Church of Christ and later the Woodland Church of Christ, which was renamed Adams Blvd Church of Christ, where he served as a Deacon and Elder, and chaired the building committee for the Adams Blvd building.

Dale was possibly best known for his generous heart. He often helped those who had nowhere else to turn, sometimes to his detriment. He never gave up his optimism that people could turn around with a little help and direction. God had been gracious to him, and he was eager to pay it forward.

Dale Baird was a hero to many, none more so than to his daughters.