James Nichols Bird

UPDATED SERVICE DETAILS
Memorial Service Saturday, April 29, 2023 11 AM at Central Woodward Christian Church, 3955 W Big Beaver Rd, Troy 48084.
Jim Bird was born in Detroit to Myrtle and James Bird on November 26, 1925. He was born on Thanksgiving Day.
Myrtle and James moved to Ann Arbor so that Jim would have an opportunity to attend the University of Michigan.
His younger brother, Dave Bird, was born five years later in January 1930. As the older brother, Jim watched over his younger brother. In one letter the family found from Myrtle to Jim when Jim and Dave were on a Boy Scout trip she wrote "Jimmy, be sure to take care of Davey." Even recently, Jim was still trying to take care of his younger brother by giving brotherly advice. As is often the case, brotherly advice was not always appreciated by Dave, who often replied "O.K." or "I'll think about it." Nevertheless, through the years, the two brothers remained close visiting regularly in person as well as keeping in touch by phone.
Jim's Bird father, James, had an eighth-grade education and was in construction. During the Depression, Montgomery Wards (owner of the house in which the Bird family lived) foreclosed on the family home. Somehow, James was able to purchase a different property and built a small house in another part of Ann Arbor. He used discarded wood from the Ann Arbor United Methodist Church building project occurring at the same time.
Jim attended and was baptized in First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor, Michigan. He and Dave also participated in the Boy Scout troupe sponsored by the church.
Jim went on to graduate from Ann Arbor High School in June 1944. He was drafted in into the Army in August of the same year. Having learned Morse Code in the Boy Scouts he rose to the rank of Technical 4 (T-4) Sergeant and was a medium-speed Morse code operator. He served in the occupying forces in Italy and Greece for two years.
Upon receiving an honorable discharge from the Army, Jim returned to Ann Arbor and, using the GI Bill, studied to be a secondary social studies teacher at "Michigan Normal College" in Ypsilanti Michigan, now known as Eastern Michigan University. Later he earned a Master of Education from University of Michigan and a second Master of History from Michigan State University.
Jim began his teaching career at Pinckney High School in the 1950's. During this same period, he met the love of his life Marilyn Read. They dated while Jim saved money for a down payment on a house.
In the late 1950's Jim landed a teaching position in Birmingham Public Schools in Birmingham, Michigan where he taught for over 30 years.
In 1959 Jim married the love of his life, Marilyn Read on May 8th. In 1961, Jim and Marilyn, had their only daughter Kathryn Eileen Bird. In 1963, Jim Marilyn and Kathy moved into the house in Birmingham, Michigan in which the Bird's lived until Jim moved to Grand Rapids to be closer to Kathy and her husband Mark in 2019.
Jim Bird taught social studies at Barnum Junior High and then transitioned to West Maple Junior High when that school opened, which later became West Maple Middle School. Jim was a creative social studies teacher who always wanted his students to learn by participating, to learn to think critically and learn to be effective readers and speakers. He often said that lecturing, memorizing or "opening up the head and pouring in the information" was NOT education.
Jim's Christian faith grew over the years. In retirement, he began regularly attending First Baptist Church in Birmingham, Michigan where he also represented the church on the Baldwin House committee for several years. Later he transitioned and became a member of Central Woodward Christian Church in Troy, Michigan. He loved this church community and they loved him. They hosted a going away party when Jim moved from the Detroit area to Grand Rapids to be closer to family. Jim's faith is summarized in Matthew 25:31-40. In which Jesus says, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these you did it to me."
Some of the accomplishments of which he was most proud was receiving the Teacher of the Year award in 1979 in the Birmingham School District. When he was invited by his former student now Hollywood director Sam Ramie to appear in the movie "Oz the Great and Powerful" and his daughter who is an ordained minister and just recently received her Doctor of Ministry degree.
Jim fiercely loved his wife Marilyn, daughter Kathy and son-in-law Mark. He thrived in the role of nurturing/caring for others whether it was his junior high/middle school students, his wife who died of pancreatic cancer in 2015, or his daughter and son-in-law, even if they did not "need" him to care for them.
Aging was difficult for Jim, who loved caring for others and was stubbornly independent. When his daughter wanted to care for him, Jim often replied, "I can DO IT! Stop babying me!" Mark also loved Jim and sought to care for him which Jim accepted, sometimes reluctantly.
In Grand Rapids, Jim enjoyed attending Cascade Christian Church and going out to eat after church, hosting Kathy and Mark to meals in the retirement community and spending holidays together.
Jim Bird died April 23, 2020 of Covid-19 at 94 years of age. Kathy was by his side and he was at peace in his final hours. Mark also had a chance to say goodbye via video-chat.
Jim Bird is survived by his daughter Kathy, son-in-law Mark and his younger brother Dave Bird and family friend Pat Wong.
A private family service took place in May 2020, and can be viewed on the Tribute Wall of the website obituary.
UPDATED SERVICE DETAILS
Memorial Service Saturday, April 29, 2023 11 AM at Central Woodward Christian Church, 3955 W Big Beaver Rd, Troy 48084.
In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made to either of the following: Central Woodward Christian Church, Troy, MI, Cascade Christian Church, Cascade, MI and Spectrum Palliative Care and Hospice,Grand Rapids, MI.