The Orlando man died Sunday after an epileptic seizure.
He was 40.
A graduate of the Art Center College of Design in
Pasadena, Calif., Baird worked as a commercial
photographer for John Casablanca's Modeling and
Career Center in Winter Park.
"He was an exceptional person and photographer," said
Bill Smith, agency director at Casablanca's. "He always
worked at an extremely high professional level."
His livelihood was also his pastime.
Baird developed a program called the Institute for
Cultural Development, which he operated for nearly two
years.
"He held modeling classes," said his sister Dee Ann
Youngers. "It was a whole school that they graduated
from. It enabled the students to develop self-esteem.
They developed the inner person."
Born in Charlotte, N.C., Baird moved to Central Florida
with his family in 1963. He was a Navy veteran.
In his spare time Baird enjoyed water skiing and
participated in many tournaments.
His favorite stunt was "the helicopter," wherein he
would jump the wake and do a 360-degree turn midair.
"He was very humorous, extremely bright and very,
very quick-witted," Youngers said. "The flip side of
that is he was very compassionate and counseled a lot of
people as well. He was very much into psychology and
sensitive to others' pain."
Aside from Youngers, Baird's survivors include his
father, Robert Baird of Altamonte Springs; mother,
Anna Baird of Orlando, and grandmother, Marie Baird
of Apopka.
Arrangements are being handled by Baldwin-Fairchild
Funeral Home in Orlando.