James David Baird

James David Baird, 68, died of respiratory failure on November 12, 2012, at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville. He is survived by a son, David Craig Baird of Nashville; a brother, Thomas Evans Baird of Manchester; and a number of cousins. Another son, Thomas Henry Baird, died in 1987. In addition to family members, Mr. Baird is survived by three life-long college friends: Steve Martin of Atlanta, GA; Larry Ammons of Waynesville, NC; and Ron Schneider, CAPT, US Navy (Retired), of St. Helena Island, SC; as well as by his former wife, Susie Baird of Nashville, to whom he was married for 25 years. Mr. Baird was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on December 1, 1943, to Paul and Sara Baird, who died in 1997 and 1984, respectively. He grew up in Manchester, TN and graduated from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, with a bachelor's degree in history. After college he fulfilled his ROTC commitment by serving two years in the US Army, ending his tour of duty with the rank of Captain. He then joined Third National Bank in Nashville, where most of his career was spent in the Bond Department. He left the bank as a Vice President and worked for Wiley Brothers in Nashville as an investment advisor for several years after that. Mr. Baird was an Elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church and an enthusiastic supporter of Wake Forest University, each year organizing a social event for new students from the Nashville area who were planning to attend Wake Forest. He has run both the New York City Marathon and the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta. He liked to travel and greatly enjoyed his family, friends, church, and home.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 16, 2012, at 1 pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 3900 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37205. Visitation with the family will be from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wake Forest University at Box 7227, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, or to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 3900 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37205.