Shirley Ann Baird, 80 of Anacortes, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, May 23, 2021 surrounded by her loving family.  She was born on July 17, 1940, the daughter of Don & Helen Drake.  She joined her older sister Marlene to be followed by younger brother Donnie at the Drake residence in Tacoma. The family attended St. Patrick's church with Shirley's Baptism, First Communion, and entry into St. Patrick's grade school following. Thereby forming her strong Catholic beliefs.

After graduation with honors from the 8 ^th grade she entered Aquinas Academy at the time a girls Catholic H.S. in Tacoma.  Shirley excelled being the junior class president, student body president, and a National Honor Society honoree.  She and her best friend Julie Rock decided they wanted to teach school They enrolled at WA. State University and moved to Pullman.  At the time Shirley had never been east of the Cascade Mountains.  After one year they moved back to Seattle and attended the University of Washington.

Shirley graduated finishing at the University of Hawaii. [not bad from Pullman to Honolulu] and started her teaching career in 1961. The two of them became primary grade teachers in Edmonds. They shared an apartment in Ballard.  In 1964 while attending the U.W. summer school with Julie they met a teacher in Seattle, who happened to be the roommate of her future husband of almost 56 years.  A blind date that followed was magic and the rest is history. The lucky guy was wise enough to ask her hand in marriage.  In 1965 she became Mrs. Al Baird.

A corporate transfer to the Bay area in 1968 ended up with the Bairds returning to the N.W. with three babies in 1973. She was one busy lady and resumed her teaching career in the Everett school district after the babies got well situated in school.  Shirley will always be remembered as a great teacher, a wonderful mother and a much-loved grandmother. She had a special kindness to and love of children.

Shirley was predeceased by her parents.  She is survived by her husband, Al; children: Alison, Brian and Kirsten; grandchildren :  Taylor, Gavin, Evan, Alek and Tessa; siblings: Don (JoAnne) and Marlene Sonneman and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

To share memories of Shirley, please sign the online guestbook at https://www.evanschapel.com