Patrick A. Baird

Patrick Albert Baird, 76, was born March 16, 1949 in El Paso, TX to Patsy Jeanne Baird (nee Boxley; d. Johnson) and Palmer Wilfred Baird. Patrick was an inquisitive child, with a thirst for experiential knowledge. He spent his childhood days making model rockets and exploding them in his desert backyard, and attempting to send his little brother Phillip Michael to the moon. When he was older, he was known to ride his bicycle 100 miles a day, up into the mountains, and then race back to town. A favorite story he liked to tell was being pulled over by the police because he broke the speed limit on his bike. In the late ‘60s and ‘70s, he had a leather shop and made apparel for his fellow “hippies.” When he wasn’t biking or making leather goods or fixing bicycles, he was drumming in bands and hanging out at concerts. Eventually, as it goes for most, he landed a steady job with Bendix Field Engineering. However, his first assignment was on Ascension Island, where he worked on a tracking station, and traveled wherever the military planes would take him on his day off. In 1975, Patrick met Vera Stankovich (Baird), who lived in his apartment complex in Glen Burnie, Md, and worked at HQ for Bendix in Columbia. As chance would have it, one day his car broke down so he asked the pretty midwestern girl for a ride to work. They married in 1977, and later had two daughters: Meghan and Veronica. Patrick and Vera spent the remainder of their days in Bowie, Maryland. His favorite activity as a father was to take the family to the US Naval Academy to play on the sea wall while he took pictures of his girls and the sailboats. As a father, Patrick was the one to help his daughters when their exploits took a downward turn: everything from braiding hair because of a broken arm to driving hours to rescue from an unfortunate hike. Moreover, he never gave up his passion for bicycles. He taught both of his girls to ride, and shared his passion with them. His last adventure with his girls was in front of the house with his new e-bike.

Patrick unexpectedly passed away at home on December 22, 2025. He leaves behind his daughters, Meghan (Dustin) Casto and Veronica (Giovanni Leon) Baird; his brother, Phillip Michael Baird; and grandchildren: Corbyn, Holden, and Olivia Casto; along with many cousins who will miss his quick wit and tall-tales. He was preceded in death by his mother, father, and wife of 48 years. Patrick took with him many wild stories of his exploits from the 1960s and ‘70’s that only those alongside the ride will fully know.

A memorial service will be held on April 25th, in Leander, TX. If you would like more information, please reach out to the family. He would most likely appreciate it if donations were made to the Alzheimer’s Association or American Heart Association.