DAVID ROSS BAIRD

On April 3rd, at Riverview Health Centre in Winnipeg, at age 97, Dad was reunited with Mom as he passed peacefully, surrounded by family.

Dad will be mourned and missed by their three daughters and their families: Bonnie and her husband Rex, children Zachary (Negede), Bridget, and Zeke; Lisa and her husband Brian, children Daphne and Jack; and Nancy.

Son of William and Annie Mae Baird, David had five siblings, Harold, Art, Bill, Marion, and is survived by his sister Helen, who, along with extended family, will miss him deeply.

David Baird was a born and bred Winnipegger. He grew up on Roseberry Street, delivered ice for the corner store, collected treasures to repurpose from the dump, fished in the river, and enjoyed a happy childhood growing up in St. James.

Dad had many jobs as a young man, such as a bookkeeper at Dominion Business College and then a teacher of bookkeeping at DCB as well as Elmwood School. He did odd jobs such as working at a jewelry store, Mallabars, etc. Then, his mentor at DBC found him a job at Sill Patrick as an auditor/bookkeeper. This job was a fit for Dad, as a numbers guy who never needed a calculator. He went to the University of Manitoba and graduated as a chartered accountant, and began his 35-plus-year professional career as an accountant and auditor for Revenue Canada.

Music was always a part of Dad’s life. He played instruments by ear, and any instrument he picked up, he could play. Trombone, piano, and of course, the trumpet became his instrument of choice. A friend invited dad to play in the Royal Winnipeg Rifles Band when he was 17, and that began a long connection with the army band, where he spent the next 51 years tooting his own horn and playing all over the province at memorial services, dances, marches, and anywhere they needed a trumpeter. Dad even had the honour and privilege of representing the Royal Winnipeg Rifles at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981. He was involved in many bands, and the friends Dad made through music became our life-long family friends.

In his youth, Dad was an avid dancer. He danced with the Arthur Murray Dance Studio, which landed him at many dance halls. One particular night, a lovely lady named Kathy caught his eye, and he made it his mission to ensure her dance card was full for the entire evening so no one could steal her away. They fell in love and were married for 65 years before Mom passed away last June.

After Dad retired after almost 40 years he needed to keep busy, so in between building garages, helping his girls tow their cars, build a business, or renovate a house, he worked as a commissionaire, cleaned the church, delivered Meals on Wheels with his grandchildren and even did flyers to keep active.

Dad was a true gentleman and family man who loved his wife and family dearly. He was a provider, a handyman, and an entertainer at heart. He would tell the same joke over and over until you laughed along with him. He was always thinking up a punchline to make you smile. His motto was “keep ‘em laughing!” and that he did. Beyond his humour, his nature was to make sure everyone felt seen and appreciated. He was a father figure to many, a mentor, and a friend. He was Papa to his beloved grandchildren, whom he treasured dearly.

Dad and Mom chose to stay in our family home until their last days. Without the help of our lovely home care support team, this wouldn’t have been possible. Dad was always an encourager and a jokester. He loved each staff member and made sure they knew it. He will be mourned and missed by that new family as well.

We so appreciated the personalized, comprehensive care offered by Prime, the community healthcare day program that Dad and Mom attended at Deer Lodge Hospital. Their professional care and compassionate hearts meant the world to us.

A heartfelt thank you to the incredible support at Riverview Health Centre. Your compassion, attention to detail, and honouring of Dad and our process were deeply impactful.

On the anniversary of Mom’s death, we will have a graveside service for Dad at 1:00 pm on Monday, June 2, 2025, at Brookside Cemetery, followed by a Celebration of Life at 4:00 pm at the family home. You are welcome to join us for either or both. Consider bringing your own lawn chair if possible. Please contact the family for further details.

David’s family kindly requests that all of his friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour his memory by sharing photos, memories, and stories, using the comment section on this page.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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