Thalia Baird's Obituary
Thalia Buck Baird, 94, died peacefully at her home in Cordova, TN. She lived a full, vibrant life. She was the oldest of Rev. J. T. and Verner Giles Buck’s children. She had a love of gardening, quilting, teaching, family, and church. She served as a long-time math teacher in numerous communities in west Tennessee and retired from the Memphis City School District. During desegregation she was one of the first teachers to volunteer to serve in a minority school. She was an active member for 46 years and an elder in the First Cumberland Presbyterian (CP) Church, Olive Branch, MS. A former pastor said, “Thalia was the best elder he ever had.” For many years she was a leader of the church women’s ministry and led a quilting group that raised donations for work in the church.She was the wife of President E. Colvin Baird, Ph. D., of Memphis Theology Seminary (MTS), who preceded her in death on February 15, 1997. She supported the family of five daughters while he earned his Ph. D. degree at Princeton Theological Seminary, and she supported him in the relocation of the seminary in 1964 and in building a diverse seminary community of faculty and students in Memphis. She was the ultimate mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She leaves four daughters: Sondra (Dr. Lowell) Roddy of Clarksville, TN; Laraine Mitchell of Cordova, TN; Dr. Linda (John) Bennett of Columbia, MO; and Ramona (Tim) Martin of Bartlett, TN. One daughter, Cynthia Bell, preceded her in death. She also leaves eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She is survived by two sisters and a brother: Olivia (Sam) Holcomb and Velora Watson of Jackson, TN, and Rev. Dr. Clinton O. Buck of Memphis, TN. Visitation will be at Memorial Park Funeral Home Friday, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Memorial services will be at the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Olive Branch, MS, Saturday, 2:00 p.m. with visitation at 1:00 p.m. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the Baird-Buck Chair of Cumberland Presbyterian Studies at MTS or to First CP Church, Olive Branch, MS.
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