Gazelle Baird

Gazelle Gallagher Baird, 95, Chance, Virginia, died peacefully on December 2, 2021, at her daughter's home. She was the daughter of James Allen and Maude Lillian Hynson Gallagher, of Richmond County, and widow of her husband of 73 years, S. Barron "B" Baird, Jr. She was born on July 1, 1926, at Naylor's. She was the 5th of 12 children. She graduated from Warsaw High School. During World War II, she lived with her brother, James, and his family in Washington D. C., where she worked for the Red Cross.

Just before the war, she had met her future husband at a school banquet. After his enlistment, they corresponded throughout the war. "B' returned home in November of 1945, and they married on September 4, 1946. In December of that year, they moved to there new home, "Otterburn". She and "B" painstakingly restored the farmhouse room by room. Gazelle loved her family above all else. She loved cooking big meals, and no one left her house hungry. She followed in her mother's tradition of making clothes for herself and her girls. She did numerous crafts. Baskets and beaded Christmas trees were favorites among family and friends. Her favorite holidays were Halloween and Christmas. Even though she grew up Baptist, she was very active in the Baird family church, Vauter's Episcopal Church. She was on the Altar Guild, ECW, and coordinated the Remembrance Book. Whenever there was an event at the church, she was there to help. She was a member of the Essex County Women's Club.

Along with her husband, she was predeceased by her parents, her sisters, Ruby G. Luttrell, Thelma G. Fulford, Margaret G. Roberts, Joan G. Wilkins, and Judith G. White, along with her brothers James, Junior, and Judson Gallagher. She is survived by her daughters, Elizabeth B. Dewey and her husband Andy, Lillian B. Blackwell, and her husband, Tommy; her grandchildren, James, and his wife Amy, Daniel, and Emily Dewey, and Sarah and Thomas Blackwell, and his wife Stacey; and seven great grandchildren, Allen, Jessica, and Carly Dewey, Mason, Russell, and Nora Dewey, and Gwendolyn Blackwell. She is also survived by her sisters, Shirley G. Ingram, and Vera G. Lankford (Thomas), and her brother, Gilbert E. Gallagher (Bessie), brother-in-law William F. Baird, sister-in-law, June P. Baird, along with a large extended family. The family would like to thank all the caregivers for all that they did for her and our family.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, December 6, 2021 at Vauter’s Episcopal Church, Loretto, with Reverend Candine Johnson officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, December 5, 2021 at Faulkner Funeral Home, Marks-Bristow Chapel, Tappahannock. The family has requested that masks be required at the funeral home and at the church.

Pallbearers will be James R. Dewey, Daniel A. Dewey, C. Allen Dewey, Thomas M. Blackwell, Jr., David W. Wilkins, and Tracey V. White Honorary pallbearers will be William F. Baird, Thomas M. Blackwell, Sr., R. Andrew Dewey, David T. Hynson, J. Robert Wilkins, Jr., and Dean H. Lankford.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Vauter's Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 154, Loretto, VA 22438.