Phillip Craig "Phil" Baird

Phillip Craig Baird, loving husband, son, brother, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at the age of 75 on June 24, 2025.

Phil was born in Provo, Utah, on September 15, 1949, to parents William Nymphus and Joy Aloha (Phillips) Baird. He was the second of nine children. In his youth, Phil loved adventuring and exploring the Edgemont/Provo river-bottoms area and nearby canyons with his brothers, Jim and Jeff; cousins, Karl Gore and Gary Lee; and his close childhood friends, Barry and Miki Hortman. He had many fond memories of spending summers with his grandpa on the Baird Ranch in Lake Creek, Utah, always referring to it as "the most beautiful place he had seen in his life."

Phil had a love for baseball, and during his teen years, when his family moved to Cedar City, Utah, he stayed behind and lived with his aunt in Provo so he could finish out his baseball season. It was in Cedar City where Phil met Charlene (Gay) Hunter, and their love story began. They were married in the St. George Temple in 1970 and moved to Kanab, Utah, shortly afterward to manage a furniture store owned by Gay's father. Eventually, they purchased the store and settled in Kanab to raise their four children.

In addition to owning and managing the furniture store, Phil obtained his insurance and securities license and worked for A.L. Williams/Primerica Financial Services for many years. Later in life, he also owned a residential moving and vehicle transportation company until he retired with Gay in 2020.

Phil had many hobbies, including jewelry making, piloting his small aircraft/planes, and oil painting. One of his favorite pastimes, however, was traveling. Whether on business trips for his company or on vacations with Gay and his family, Phil loved seeing new places. He often said it was where he could relax, think, and be creative. In his later years, he and Gay went on several trips, often traveling to the eastern United States. They frequently invited Gay's parents to join them on those adventures.

Phil was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in various callings over the years, including as a counselor and later as bishop of his local ward. He particularly enjoyed working with the youth and found humor in some of their mischievous (yet harmless) actions. While he occasionally had to "correct" those actions, he always tried to do so in a loving but firm manner.

Phil is survived by his children: Craig (Jill) Baird of Kanab, Utah; Tiffany (Danny) Cox of Bluffton, South Carolina; Kresta (Kevin) Blomquist of Kanab, Utah; and Charee (Nathan) Shepherd of Kanab, Utah. Also survived by his 17 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and his siblings: Jeanne, Peggy, Jeff, Susan, Chris, Sam, and Jon. Phil was preceded in death by his wife, Gay; his parents, William and Joy Baird; and his eldest brother, Jim Baird.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. at the Kanab South Chapel, 604 S. 100 E., Kanab, UT. A viewing for the public will be held on the same date and at the same location at 11:00 a.m.

The family wishes to thank all the wonderful caregivers that have assisted in Phil's care over the past several months: Mable's Angels, Beehive Home, Zions Way, and Kane County Hospital Skilled Nursing Facility.