James Baird

Mr. James Baird, age 87, of Pine Knot, Kentucky, passed away on Sunday, February 5, 2006 at the McCreary Health and Rehabilitation Center in Pine Knot, Kentucky.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, February 8, 2006, at 1:00 p.m. at Pine Knot Funeral Home with Rev. William Kilby officiating and Harold Baird delivering the eulogy. Special music was by Larry Neal, Birdie Meadows and Lou Turner. Burial was in the T. Chitwood Cemetery in Pine Knot where military honors were presented by the United States Army. Serving as pall bears were Boyce Dean King, William D. Kilby, David Perry, Bruce Trammell, Tony Trammell and Jerry Sears. Honorary pall bears were Adam Bryant and Jamie Hamlin.

He was born November 21, 1918, at Creekmore, Kentucky, to the late Francis and Hannah Cornelius Baird. He was married to Nina Lay Baird on June 10, 1942. James and Nina ran the Hollyhill Grocery and Post Office and were members of the East Pine Knot Tabernacle Church. He served in the United States Army during World War II where he received four bronze stars and was discharged with excellent character. James was a delightful and joyful person who loved people. He expressed his joy for life by making people laugh with his many stories and jokes which in return gave him great pleasure.

Besides his parents, those preceding him in death are a son Fermon Baird, five brothers Raymond, Walter, Bennie, Lonzo and Joe Baird, and a sister Levada Taylor.

James leaves behind his wife Nina Baird and two daughters, Linda Bryant (and husband Gorman) of Whitley City, Kentucky, and Lawanna Chesnut (and husband Fred) of Panama City, Florida, and a daughter-in-law, Kathy Baird of Pine Knot. There are six grandchildren: Buckie Deano Baird Rudicell, Adam Bryant, Beth Baird Mills, Traci Adkins, James Fermon Baird, Jr. and Jamie Todd Hamlin. James and Nina had eight great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren.

Pine Knot Funeral Home assisted the family of Mr. James Baird with funeral arrangements.