Linda Faye Baird, 74, of Hereford, Texas, passed away on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, in Friona, Texas. Celebration of Life Funeral Services will be on Monday, November 20, 2023, at Avenue Baptist Church at 2:00 PM with Pastor Billy Joe Wall, Dr. Matthew Baird, and Pastor Michael Hale officiating. Burial to follow at West Park Cemetery. Arrangements and services have been entrusted to Mendez and Mullins Family Funeral Home of Hereford, Texas. Viewing and visitation will be on Sunday, November 19, 2023, from 4:00-6:00 PM at the funeral home.

Linda was born on January 7, 1949, in Lamesa, Texas, to Gurnie and Gearldean (Clark) Vestal. She has been a resident of Hereford since 1973. Linda attended Texas Tech University, Wayland Baptist University, West Texas A&M University and graduated with her bachelor's in education from Lubbock Christian University in 1973; she later graduated from the Scottish Rites with her certification in Dyslexia in 1994.

Linda met and fell in love with her best friend, Ross Robert Baird, and they married on May 31, 1975, in O'Donnell, Texas. She taught at HISD for 39 years, the last 15 years she taught the Dyslexia program, retiring in 2012. Linda was a very devoted and active church member. She participated in the choir, Mission Friends, Youth Council, Sunday School, GA's and Acteens; she also was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Texas State Teachers (TSTA), Classroom Teachers (CTA), Big Brothers/Big Sisters, serving on the founder's board of King's Manor for 3 years, and was one of the founders of Baptist Young Women (BYW).

Linda enjoyed gardening, especially her flower beds, canning all kinds of vegetables, baking her wonderful Christmas candy and many other family favorites, shopping, crafts, traveling with her husband, caring for the elderly, but her greatest joy was spending time with her family and her grandchildren.

Those left to cherish her memories are her husband, Ross Baird of Hereford, Texas, her children, Jana Duncan and her husband Chris of Shawnee, Oklahoma, and Jerry Baird and his wife Erin of Hereford, Texas; 7 grandchildren, Kimberly Cagle and her husband Levi of Auburn, Alabama, Zachary Shotts, Jadelyn Shotts, Conner Duncan, and Cody Duncan all of Shawnee, Oklahoma, and Lillian Baird, and Trew Baird of Hereford, Texas; 2 great-grandchildren, Eben Cagle and Hudson Cagle of Auburn, Alabama; her sister, Donna Forbes of O'Donnell, Texas, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Linda is preceded in death by her parents.

Memorials can be made to Avenue Baptist Church, 125 N. 25 Mile Avenue, Hereford, Texas, 79045, or to Prairie Acres Nursing Facility, 201 East 15th, Friona, Texas, 79035, or to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hereford, Texas, 244 N. Main Street, Hereford, Texas, 79045.

You may go online and sign the guestbook at www.mendezandmullins.com