Barbara Baird Remembered



In 1981, I took a young 9-year-old friend Edward to Tilton Ranch in Morgan Hill to look for a pet bunny.   We met Barbara Baird, the matriarch of the ranch.   Edward wanted a smaller rabbit but I fell in love with the French Lop that Barbara raised.   Eventually Edward bought an overweight Netherland Dwarf from a pet store and I bought a French Lop from another breeder who Barbara referred me to.   Though no transaction was done, Barbara and I became friends. 

I switched to English Angora in 1982; though Barbara had never raised any kind of Angora, she became my mentor in solving all sorts of rabbits issues.   When I needed advise, she gave; when I needed a shoulder to cry on, she provided; when I needed a wet nurse to help my bunnies, she loaned; when I needed old newspapers to line my stackable cages, she saved the papers; when she put on Dutch specialty shows at her ranch, Angora specialty shows tagged along.   Christmas time and Thanksgiving, Albert and I were treated like a part of her family; and we would go to shows together in the 80s and 90s...   She also worked as the NCAG show secretary between 1986 to 1990, working our specialty shows though she did not have any Angora.

This picture was taken on Christmas day 2006.   By then Barbara was no longer active in shows but still kept rabbits.  

 

In August 2016, it was Barbara's 89th birthday.   We were invited to her BBQ celebration.   Standing behind Barbara are Bernice and I.  We were all members of the South Valley Rabbit Warren in the 80s and 90s; this club had put on ARBA sanctioned shows and educational programs.

Just received the sad news that Barbara had passed away on December 21, 2017 at 90 years old.   She was kind and generous, lived a long and full life.   Her daughters Sally, Joann and Janet will keep the family tradition of running the 2500-acre cattle ranch in Morgan Hill.

Thank you, Barbara, for all the help and for teaching me so much about rabbits and other matters.