Billie Baird Boyd, 1936-2020

Ralph and Billie on their wedding day.

We've lost another first cousin last week. Billie was the pretty daughter of my Uncle Grice, Mother's oldest brother. She was a little older than my eldest sister. She had two older brothers, Bobby and Benny, and one younger one, Wayne. 

This is the funeral home obituary:

Obituary

Billie J. Baird Boyd, 83, of Suwanee, GA formerly of Duluth, GA died May 28, 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic the family will have a private cryptside service at Green Lawn Cemetery, Roswell, GA. Ms. Boyd, a native of Porterdale, GA was a retired crossing guard with the Gwinnett County Police Department with 30 years of service. Preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Lee Boyd, her son, Ralph Lee Boyd, Jr., she is survived by her, daughters nad sons-in-law, Debbie and Frank Amodeo of Marietta, GA, Dana and John Barr of Suwanee, GA; brothers and sister-in-law Benny Baird of Rome, GA, Wayne and Linda Baird of Marietta, GA; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Charles and Faye Boyd of Suwanee, GA; grandchildren, Shawn Boyd, Brian Boyd and his wife Amanda, Kyle Boyd, Francesca Amodeo, Anthony Amodeo, Aaron Shealy, John Barr, Kathryn Barr; great grandchildren, Katlyn Boyd, Haylee Mewborn, John Mewborn, Nathan Mewborn, Preston Boyd, Jaxon Boyd; several nieces and nephews. Condolences may be sent by visiting www.billheadfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Bill Head Funeral Homes & Crematory, Duluth Chapel

Here is the Find-a-Grave online record:

Billie Joyce Baird Boyd 

BIRTH

25 Jul 1936

Porterdale, Newton County, Georgia, USA

DEATH

28 May 2020 (aged 83)

Suwanee, Gwinnett County, Georgia, USA

BURIAL

Green Lawn Cemetery

Roswell, Fulton County, Georgia, USA

---------

Here's an accounting of the children and grandchildren of Ieula Ann Dick (Baird) and Benjamin Wilson Baird.

Of course their Lola and Leon died as children and left no descendants. Mary never had any children.
The nine first cousins who have died include:
Grice's children
    Bobby Baird
    Billie Baird
Bill's child
    Don Baird
Vek's children
    Marion Loyd Savage
    Leon Loyd (Lloyd)
    Benny Loyd
Charlie's children
    Gail Baird Dorman
    Jerry Baird
Tom's child
    Jack Baird

My remaining 12 Baird first cousins are:
Grice's Children
    Benny Baird
    Wayne Baird
Sis's child
    Otis Lavay McCullough - Lavay is the oldest of all the cousins and is now 91. He lives in Alpharetta in an assisted living facility. He is as sharp as a tack and still spreading the Gospel wherever he can. Lavay is a not-very-retired Baptist pastor.
Jack's child
    Sandra Baird Caruso
Tom's child
    Jane Baird Lathem
Ruth's children
    Janice Shaw Crouse
    Joan Shaw Turrentine
    Terrell Shaw
    Carol Shaw Johnston
    Deborah Shaw Lewis
    Beth Shaw Roszel
    David Shaw

Mother Had the Measles

My mother had measles when she was a baby. She'll be 96 in a few weeks. Her three-year-old brother had measles at the same time. The same measles Mama has survived for nine and a half decades killed her brother before he turned 4. My grandmother kept Leon's little shoes in her cedar chest till the day she died. She had no picture of him. She said his hair was a light brown like Tom and Jack not red like Charlie or Grice. Had Leon survived measles he would likely have been gone like all five of his older brothers by now. If not he would turn 100 this October. Even long life is short from my current perspective.

John Franklin Enders "The Father of Modern Vaccines"

My first cousin Lavay is only ten years younger than his Uncle Leon. He and my high school friends David and Robert were all crippled by polio. I got the vaccine. The polio forced Robert to spend most of his short life in bed and killed him before he turned 20. David has spent his life hobbling around, remarkably well, on crutches. Lavay managed despite a bad limp to walk all his adult life thanks to leg shortening surgeries as a little kid. David and Lavay both are now dealing with greatly reduced mobility due to the horrible effects of post-polio syndrome. I managed to avoid the disease long enough to take the vaccine in the mid-fifties along with all my classmates. And I have been awfully grateful for Dr. Enders and Dr. Salk and their vaccines every time I think of those three contemporaries of mine and little Uncle Leon whom I never got to meet.

Jonas Salk, developer of the polio vaccine

Of course we must keep good records and always work to study the effects of all medicines and seek to improve outcomes. There are no guarantees. Even aspirin has side effects. But in the end I believe we must do what science tells us is most likely to protect our kids. 
Vaccines are in the news again as measles outbreaks occur here and there across the nation. A few cases have cropped up here in Georgia. No other vaccine preventable disease causes as many deaths as measles. Vaccines save many lives.
Give a listen to this man who has a unique perspective; he is a vaccine researcher and also the father of an autistic child ----
Anti-Vaxxers Brought Back the Measles

Gleaning Facebook: Thanksgiving

 We had a great day of visiting and fine eating with just ten of the Shaw bunch… a tiny group by historical standards. Mama, at 91, had a 23 lb. turkey cooked to juicy perfection, and she, Sheila, Joan, Debi, and Lisette had all the necessary accompanying dishes, including luscious desserts. We sat around the den alternately napping and swapping tales. Mama admitted to the two paddlings she received from her Mama, and even fessed up to the shameful acts that elicited that drastic response from our beloved grandmother. Ruth Baird Shaw objected when I proposed reporting her sins on Facebook! I think the turkey was the only participant in our festivities who was photographed, unless you want to include two stray dogs.

Linda Beam

You have your mom....aw. miss mine

Terrell Shaw

Tim-Wanda Baird Mama's first spanking involved your granddaddy Grice Baird.

Tim-Wanda Baird

Lol why does that not surprise me

Ruth Baird Shaw

Now Tim...I need to set the record straight. Your Granddad was not misbehaving! He was 19 years older than I (he the oldest and i the youngest 0f 11) I was about 2 and asked for water. Mama got me a glass of water and i said, " NO...i want Grice to get it for me." Mama handed the glass to Grice and Grice gave me the glass, Then I said ""No, I want Mama to get it for me." Mama said she and Grice "humored me" for a few minutes and she finally had to spank me before i would drink the water.

Tim and Wanda...The interesting thing about this story is that Mama thought this spanking of the "Apparently spoiled two-year old brat" was the reason I...from that spanking on never misbehaved or was disobedient again....

Ace the Shepherd

Love my Shaw family! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Wilson Grice Baird Obituary September 5, 1965