JOHN NELSON BAIRD / 1922-2003
Former S&L president
loved people
John Nelson Baird, 80, a former president of Honolulu Federal Savings and Loan, died last Monday at St. Francis Hospice.
Baird was born in Joseph, Utah, on July 30, 1922, and first came to Hawaii during World War II with the Navy. During a 1946-48 mission to Hawaii for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Baird met Joy Luana Knapp, whom he married in 1948 and who died in 2000, said Baird's son Randy.
His father worked for Honolulu Federal Savings and Loan from 1948 until he retired as president in 1978, Randy Baird said.
Baird was active in the Mormon Church, serving as a bishop for the Makiki ward in the early 1960s, a member of the stake presidency for the Honolulu area from 1971-77, a regional authority from 1978-86 for half of the state, and Hawaii-area family history director in the 1980s and 1990s. He also was a member of Council of Churches and heavily involved with Boy Scouts for many years, Randy Baird said.
"I think he would always be remembered for his love for the people, his love for Hawaii and his duty to the community and to the church," Randy Baird said.
In addition to Randy, who lives in Washington, Baird is survived by sons John and Tim, of Salt Lake City, David and Steven, of Oahu, and Michael, of Oregon; 17 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; brother Ross Baird, of Washington' and sister LaVee Madsen, of Utah.
Services will be at noon tomorrow at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Kahala Ward, 4847 Kilauea Ave. Call after 10:30 a.m. Burial: 2 p.m. at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Aloha attire.