Edith Marie Baird, age 79, of Springfield, Missouri, passed away on March 18, 2025, at Birch Pointe’s Memory Care Unit. Edith was born to Lee George Tice and Lillie Mae Cox on July 2, 1945, in Sacramento, California. She was raised in Sacramento and graduated from Hiram Johnson High School in 1963. Edith was united in marriage to Harold Lambert Bush on June 26, 1965, in Sacramento, California. Edith and Harold shared 11 years of marriage. The couple was blessed with two children, Tania Marie Motto and Aaron Matthew Bush. On February 19, 1981, Edith married George Garnett Baird in Springfield, Missouri. The couple was blessed to add two more children to their family, Casey JD Baird and April Joy Baird. Edith and George shared 42 years of marriage prior to George’s passing on July 19, 2023.

Edith was a homemaker, bookkeeper, and a dental assistant over the years. When not working, Edith had many interests and pastimes including gardening, crafts, reading, music, and singing. Edith loved books and learning. During elementary school, she read every book in her school library. Edith designed her family’s home that they lived in for over four decades, without any formal architectural training. Edith loved crafts and for many years made her family handmade Christmas ornaments and, growing up, the family would often make handmade Christmas decorations for the Christmas tree. For many years, Edith and George had a large garden and blessed members of their church with vegetables they had grown. Edith instilled in her children a love of musicals and radio theater with many hours spent listening to Big John and Sparky and numerous Broadway musical records. Edith will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, and foster mother, having worked in the emergency foster care services for over a decade and helped dozens of children including the two she and George adopted. She was often described by others as godly, kind, loving, helpful, creative, and sweet.

Edith was preceded in death by her husband, George Garnett Baird; father, Lee George Tice; and mother, Lillie Mae Cox. She is survived by her two brothers, David Tice and Paul Tice; sister, Karen Evers; children, Tania Motto, Aaron Bush, Casey Baird, and April Baird; as well as six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

A visitation for Edith will be held on Thursday, March 27, 2025, from 1:00-2:00 pm, at Greenlawn Funeral Home North in Springfield, Missouri (3506 N National Ave). Her funeral service will be held immediately following her visitation on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at 2:00 pm, with burial to follow in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.

If you would like to send flowers, the family recommends Heaven’s Scent Florist in Republic, Missouri (417-732-1334).

Arrangements are under the compassionate direction of Greenlawn Funeral Home North in Springfield, Missouri.