Baird, LaRetta Arlene 1921-1997

BAIRD, SANDERS, JACOBS, SCHLESSELMAN, THOMPSON, CRISWELL, HERNANDEZ

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 7/14/2014 at 15:51:33

The Montezuma (IA) Republican
July 23, 1997

LARETTA A. BAIRD, 76

LaRetta Arlene Baird, 76, of Montezuma died Tuesday, July 15, 1997 at Grinnell Regional Medical Center in Grinnell.

Funeral services were July 18, 1997 at Watts Funeral Home in Montezuma. Officiating the service were Pastor Ronald Bryan and Pastor Dennis Dorshheimer. A duet, "Beyond the Sunset" was sung by Melissa Van Baalen and Darrell Brand. Organist was Mrs. Kathleen Ramsey. Casket bearers were Joe Current, Mark Doll, Harold Wheeler, Mark Ewing, Marvin Ferneau and Larry Williams. Honorary casket bearers were Lyle Johnson, Jim Manatt, Edward Hollmann and Walter Beck. Burial will be at the Jackson Township Cemetery in Montezuma.

LaRetta was the daughter of Lillie Mae (Sanders) Jacobs and Cecil Clair Jacobs. She was born March 26, 1921 near Deep River. She attended school in Barnes City and Gibson, where she graduated from high school in 1939. On March 30, 1941 she was united in marriage with Lester Charles Baird in Lancaster, Missouri. To this union seven children were born. After World War II she and Lester lived in the Montezuma area. LaRetta worked with MICA for ten years, the SCS for three years and the Montezuma Public Library for three years.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

LaRetta is survived by her husband of 56 years, Lester, of Montezuma and their children and spouses, Bonnie and Carl Schlesselman of Deep River; Sheryl and Terry Thompson of Urbandale; Vicki and Kim Criswell of Albia; Charles and Jan Baird of Las Vegas, Nevada; Douglas and Carla Baird of Waukesha, Wisconsin; Randall Baird of Scottsbluff, Nebraska; and Kimberlee and Armando Hernandez of Deming, New Mexico; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and other relatives and many friends.

Memorials are at the Montezuma Public Library.