Mary Lee Baird

Memorial services for Mary Lee Baird, 85, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 6, 2010, at the First United Methodist Church in Gilmer with Annette Breazeale officiating under the direction of Croley Funeral Home. She died Wednesday in Gilmer after a long illness. Born to Reece and Sybil McClelland Epperson on October 19, 1924, she was a native and lifetime resident of Gilmer. A graduate of Gilmer High School, Mary Lee worked for the local telephone company, and in 1946, was married to Jack F. (Spot) Baird, who preceded her in death. Between 1947 and 1977, she was employed as manager of the Chamber of Commerce and of the Yamboree Association for three different periods, totaling about 20 years. The Yamboree was always an important part of the family's life, and she was involved in many areas, including the writing of the script for the annual coronation pageant. She also owned and operated the Glamour Shop, a dress shop in downtown Gilmer, and she was a founding partner of Baird Realty until her retirement. In 1974, she became the first woman ever elected to the Gilmer City Council, and served two terms. She and her late husband, along with Daisy and the late Richard Potter, contributed to making the Yamboree better known in the state and nationally when they established the "Possumology" act at the Texas Folklife Festival in San Antonio in the 1970s. "Professor Spot" and "Doctor" Potter and their wives also toured the state to carry the word about the Yamboree. Her Yamboree duties included service as a director, chairman of the commercial floats committee, co-chairman of the all-service club luncheon and multiple duties on the coronation and pageant committee. She was founding president of the Civic Improvement Foundation, formed to raise funds to build the Civic Center, and she served for three years. Her efforts in fundraising succeeded in the accumulation of several hundred thousand dollars for the cause. Mary Lee was a director of the Chamber of Commerce and served as its first female president in 1974-75. She was named Upshur County's Outstanding Citizen in 1972, and First Lady of Beta Sigma Phi in 1985. Mary Lee was a member of Mensa and and the International Legion of Intelligence whose members rank in the upper most 1% of the populace in intelligence. She was long an active member of the First United Methodist Church, serving as trustee, member of the administrative board, Sunday school teacher and Methodist Youth Fellowship leader. In addition to her husband and parents, Mary Lee was preceded in death by her only brother, Bob Epperson, of Winter Haven, Florida. She is survived by her sister, Martha Lansdale of Gilmer; her children, Sharon Hasten Penfold of Dallas, Jack Baird of Houston, Ben Hasten of Denver, Jeff Baird of Gilmer, and Charlie Baird of Austin; her ten grandchildren, Luke Baird, Lucy Baird Winn, Bonnie Baird Jordan, Carlen Penfold Long, Clark Penfold, Olivia Baird, Will Baird, Dana Hasten Attlan, Jenny Hasten Jones, and Jessica Hasten; her eight great-grandchildren, Carly, Maddie, and Hudson Winn, Josie and Gus Jordan, Audrey and Juliette Attlan, and Nicholas Jones. The family wishes to thank Kinsman Hospice Care and Patti Harris for their loving care. ***Memorials may be made to Refuge International, 104 N. Montgomery, Gilmer, Texas 75644.