Alvin V. Baird Attention and Learning Disabilities Center

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Meet the Bairds

The slideshow below tells about the Bairds and their life story.

The Bairds featured on the cover of Montpelier.

Mr. Baird and his plane.
These photographs were taken by his nephew at a Marine Corp. Training Camp, Camp Lejeune
(French for Camp the Young). Mr. Baird spent most of his time in this plane. He was rejected
from flying in the armed services because of a right eye problem; however, this did not stop Mr.
Baird from his passion-flying.

Mr. Baird in the cockpit of his plane. He took his first flying lesson in 1935 and would take flying
lessons whenever he had enough money. He could not afford a plane until 1967, in which he
bought a 172F airplane. Mr. Baird had a membership in a flying club where he was Secretary of Treasury.

This picture was taken by a reporter at a grave yard in Warrenton on Memorial Day. After
World War II, Mr. Baird joined the Veterans of Foreign Wars. To pay his respect to the
Veterans, Mr. Baird decorated tombstones with flags.

This picture was taken at a studio in New York on October of 1941. Mr. Baird’s family wanted
a formal picture of him.

This picture was taken in 1945 at Mr. Baird’s home in Fauquier County when he returned from
World War II.

This picture was taken in the spring of 1917 at his grandmother’s home in Massachusetts. The
picture is of his maternal grandmother, Mary Prentiss Kay, and Mr. Baird. Mr. Baird was six
months old at the time of this picture.

The wedding announcement for Mr. Baird and his wife, Nancy, that appeared in their local newspaper.

Alvin Baird and Nancy Chappelear were married on July 23, 1966. They were married for 36 years.

This picture of Mr. and Mrs. Baird was taken at their home, in which Mr. Baird built. Mr.
Baird nick-named their home, Wolf Oak Knoll, because of the huge Wolf Oak tree that was
found at their home. Their home overlooked slopes and had a stream running through. Mr.
Baird had a half acre dam put in and stocked it with Blue Gill fish, a small amount of
Bass, and some eels.

Mr. Baird was “clowning” around. They are standing in front of the Wolf Oak tree, for
which he named his home. What Mr. and Mrs. Baird did for fun: “We traveled together quite a bit. We visited France, Scandanavia, Normandy, and Norway.
We spent most of our time in France. I was hesitant about traveling to England, because I had pictured it to be dreary and rainy. Instead, I was shocked to see that the weather was just like it is here during the spring time in March.”

This picture was taken after the funeral for his commander of his Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post in Marshall.

Nancy Chappelear as a young woman, circa 1940. Alvin Baird said of his wife: “At first, I couldn’t tell you whether she had a subjective or objective personality. I believe it takes a woman’s insight to ‘get into a person.’ A neighbor finally told me that she was certainly subjective. I guess it was true because of her strong capacity for painting and drawing. There were so many things about Nancy that made her brilliant. In some cases, she was more brilliant than me. Subjective personalities are strongly sensitive. She was conditioned to give to the community, thanks to her mother and father. There were times when I thought she may have been trying to be objective. Trying to figure out personalities is a tough thing.”

Nancy with her father, Dr. Chappelear, and her younger sister.

Nancy with cousins Valerie and Nancy Chappelear and her younger sister, Georgina

Last updated: August 19, 2022

Publisher: Creative Services

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