Nancy Ruth Baird

Baird, Nancy Ruth of Flint - Age 91, died Sunday, April 13, 2025. Services will be held 12:00 PM Friday, May 9, 2025 at Sharp Funeral Homes, Fenton Chapel, 1000 Silver Lake Road, Fenton (The service will be live streamed and can be viewed below her obituary here). Chaplain Cory Hamilton officiating. Burial in Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Friday, May 9, 2025 from 10:00 AM until the time of the service. Those desiring may make contributions to The Medical Team Hospice, 5406 Gateway Centre Blvd, Suite F, Flint, MI 48507.

Nancy was a modest person, but it wouldn’t be possible to write an account of her life without saying that she was an uncommonly beautiful woman and that she worked with tireless determination to achieve the goals that she set for herself. Along the way she accomplished many things. She served as president of her local Rainbow Girls Assembly. She played alto saxophone in Bensenville High School’s nationally competitive concert band. After graduation in 1952, she paid her own way to attend secretarial school by working as an assistant in a downtown Chicago law firm. Later that summer, she met and married Airman Floyd Baird. The young couple immediately began their around-the-world travels. That partnership helped Nancy bring more of her goals to fruition. Growing up, she dreamed of travelling and promised herself she would raise children who were capable, considerate, and - most importantly to her - self-confident.

Through the years, Nancy was involved in a number of civic groups, including active participation in meetings, right up until the last month of her life, with Beta Sigma Phi. Her membership in the sorority spanned more than half a century. The truest thing you could say about Nancy Baird is that she loved being alive and she showed her love of life by getting things done. Everyone who knew her knew what she meant by getting things done - do them well and don’t procrastinate. She loved getting the big and challenging things done, like unpacking her family’s worldly goods and setting up housekeeping across the country and around the world during her career as an Air Force wife. She loved getting important things done, like exchanging smiles and giggles with her adorable baby great-granddaughter, Miss Lucy Brown. She also took pride and delight in getting small things done, like balancing the checkbook, keeping her beautiful home tidy, and shopping for the perfect outfit. Passing the time in laughter-filled conversation with friends and family was one of Nancy’s greatest pleasures. In recent years, she enjoyed visits in person and on the phone with siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and many dear friends.

Nancy was born March 13, 1934 in Chicago, IL, the daughter of Arthur and Mabel (Hughes) Neill. She was a 1952 graduate of Bensenville High School. She had resided in Flint since 1996, coming from Lake City, FL and Davison. She worked as an administrative assistant at General Telephone (GTE) and was a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Surviving Nancy are: 3 children, David Baird (Maryclare) of Rochester Hills, Kathy Baird (Charles Perry) of Clearwater, FL, and Marlena Brown (Kurtis) of Flint; grandchildren, Elle Baird (Amber), Andrew Offenbacher (Sujata), Nick Offenbacher (Erin), Dan Offenbacher (Don Hess), Jessica Montilla, Charlie Perry (Lisa), Andrew Brown (Olivia), and Matthew Brown (Sabina Schaffer); great-grandchildren, Kai, Ketan, Theo, Haley, and Lucy; brother, Jerry Neill (Barbara) of Elgin, IL; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Baird; her parents, Arthur and Mabel Neill; brother, Arthur Neill (Susan), and sisters, Dorothy Dollar (Jack) and Kathleen Payne (Richard).

Over the last four years, Nancy bravely coped with the loss of her husband of 68 years, who she sorely missed. Both of them - Nancy and Floyd - were a wise, nurturing, guiding presence in the lives of so many who knew and loved them. Now, we have only the memory of Nancy and Floyd Baird to touch our world and our lives in the way that they did when they were among us. We will carry their warmth and goodwill forward and share it as widely as we can. That’s what they would want us to do. Both of them felt the same way about getting things done, so - rest assured, you two - we are definitely on it.

Nancy's family would like to thank The Medical Team Hospice as well as the Pray Family Home for their wonderful care Nancy received over the past few years and few months. Tributes may be shared at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com.