James L. Baird

James L. Baird age 93 of Concord formerly of Winchester, MA passed away suddenly on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at his residence.

Born in Richmond, NH on November 9, 1917 he was the son of the late Howard L. and Marion (Homan) Baird.

Educated in Richmond and Winchester, NH he attended and graduated from MIT, Cambridge earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1940. During his time at MIT Jim was active in Crew, a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity and was selected by the faculty of MIT in his sophomore year to be a member of Epsilon Pi Tau, a world- wide academic honorary engineering society (72 years later his granddaughter Margaret was also selected to join the elite ranks of that same society).

From his time at MIT Jim became passionate about education. Jim’s life was transformed by his opportunity to attend MIT as a student and he generously gave back to MIT and other educational institutions in gratitude and recognition that education can be an enduring legacy of blessing to the world. He also generously supported the education of his grandchildren.

Upon his graduation, Jim began a career as a Chemical Engineer with Artisan Industries of Waltham Massachusetts. Jim worked as a key member of the Artisan Family for over 70 years, still working on the Board of Directors and helping to mentor young engineers until he was almost 93 years old. At the time that Jim stepped down from the Board in June of 2010, James Donavan, son of the founder of Artisan Industries wrote of Jim: “Of all the brilliant men who have worked at Artisan, he is still one of the most brilliant and has been of great help to us right up to the present.”

He will be missed by all who knew him as a gentle and humble man whose brilliance as a scientist and researcher was respected by colleagues and students at Artisan Industries, at MIT, Northeastern and in the world-wide engineering profession. Inventor of numerous patents, many of his contributions to the science and technology fields are still to be calculated. A Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and The American Oil Chemical Society, Jim received numerous Life-Time Achievement awards from a variety of Engineering societies and organizations.

Jim was an active and devoted MIT Alumni. He remained in life-long contact with many of his colleagues and alumni. He served in all leadership positions for his class and chaired the Reunion Committees and as an Alumni Council officer multiple times. He also served as Chair of the Cardinal and Gray Society. A generous giver, among other gifts Jim supported the MIT Crew and several graduate fellowships for the Koch School of Chemical Engineering Practice.

In his early years, Mr. Baird settled in Winchester, MA with his then wife Jeanette (Ballou) Baird and their family where Jim became very active in leadership positions in the Boy Scouts and Little League. Jim also spent many hours in dedicated work on building and maintaining the family homes and especially the family cottage in Swanzey, New Hampshire. “The Cottage” became the focal point for fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, walking through the woods and of course watching birds, one of Jim’s abiding passions. It was at the cottage that Jim taught all of his children and grandchildren an abiding love of nature.

Every summer for over 20 years Jim would pack all who were in the home for the annual “camping” trip visiting National Parks and camp grounds from Nova Scotia to Colorado. He chronicled each of those trips with countless photos, 16 mm movies and detailed logs of miles covered and places they stayed. Jim also developed a great passion for downhill skiing, staying active in the sport until his mid 80’s. In his later years Jim enjoyed world-wide travel that included Norway, China, Europe, Central America and Alaska..

It was on one of those first trips on an MIT Alumni Adventure to the Mayan ruins that Jim met Melissa Woods Teixeira, who became Jim’s companion of heart, mind and soul that changed his life forever. Jim and Melissa traveled extensively together to all the corners of the earth and in later years they developed a great love of visiting Disney World and spending time with visiting “Mickey” with Melissa’s grand-children. After Melissa contracted Parkinson’s Disease, Jim tenderly cared for Melissa until her passing in 2008 in their home in Concord with wonderful help from their beloved caregiver Bea.

He is survived by his children, Thomas L. Baird of Keene, NH, Jayne E. Gilmore of Raymond, NH, Stephen H. Baird of Jamaica Plain and Rev. David H. Baird of North Grosvenor Dale, CT. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren and a sister Elizabeth Brown. He was pre-deceased by his beloved Melissa and by a grandson, Daniel Baird.

MEMORIAL SERVICE
Saturday. December. 11 at 11:00 a.m.
Concord Funeral Home
74 Belknap Street
Concord, MA

GIFTS IN HIS NAME MAY BE MADE TO:
Mass. Audubon Society
208 South Great Road
Lincoln, MA 01773.

Arrangements under the care of Glenn D. Burlamachi, Concord Funeral Home.

Proud to be family owned, operated and occupied since 1936