Lewis Reed Baird

Lewis Reed Baird, 86, longtime former resident of Pocatello, died peacefully at his home on October 24, 2011, in St. George, Utah after battling cancer.

Lewis was born on August 11, 1925 in Basalt, Idaho. He was the 8th child of nine children born to Asa and Winnifred Kirkham Baird. He attended schools in Basalt and Firth Idaho. He excelled in track, boxing, football, wrestling, and basketball. He enjoyed geography, history, and arithmetic. He worked at the grain elevator, thinned beats, baled hay, and did other farm work.

Lewis married Lola Mangum on May 27, 1944. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Idaho Falls temple on January 23, 1965. Lola died on December 6, 1994. He later married Carolyn Armstrong and after her passing he married Joyce Hathaway.

He entered the Marine Corps on June 22, 1944 less than one month after his marriage. He served as a Pacific Marine. He was sent on guard ship and fought in the battle of Iwo Jima. Then later went to Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Lewis didn't talk much about the war, but was always proud to serve his country.
He began working for the railroad in 1947 and worked there until he retired. He worked as a brakeman, conductor and later as a UTU representative. He enjoyed fishing, camping, working with his hands, gardening, taking walks with his grandchildren. He also enjoyed watching their sporting events. He built a cabin in Island Park where he enjoyed spending summers with his family until the time of his death. He was an avid reader and loved to talk about things he read with others. Lewis loved traveling, also living in St. George in his later years where he could enjoy the warmth there. He served as a High Priest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, serving as a counselor in the bishopric, home teacher, and served on a mission to Tennessee with his wife Carolyn.

Lewis is survived by his and Lola's four children, Cary, (Jorjia) Baird Inkom, Idaho, Gene, (Kathy) Baird Idaho Falls Idaho, Staralee Baird Pocatello Idaho, Venus (Jeffery) Clark, Blackfoot Idaho, 16 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren, his wife Joyce Hathaway Baird, and his brother Clair (Janell) Baird and his sister Reva Corbett.

Lewis and his brother Keith were in a race to the other side of the veil the day he died, with his brother preceding him in death by hours that same day. He was also preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Wayne, Jim, Keith, and Neil and two sisters, Vera Farnes and Beth Lyon, two grandchildren, Kevin Baird and Chase Baird.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to member of the St. George Morningside 5th Ward and Alliance Hospice, Faelynn, Ethan, Tanya, and Laurie, for their loving, compassionate, and kind care of Lewis and his family during his final days.

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