Michael Thomas Baird

Michael “Mike” Thomas Baird 48, died peacefully at his home in Coon Rapids, IA, on Saturday, January 18, 2025 surrounded by his fiancé Sheila Wurr and beloved dog Ginger after a long courageous battle with cancer.

A Celebration of Life Gathering will be held at the home of Dennis & Sandy Wurr, 168 330th Street, Coon Rapids, IA, on Sunday, February 2, 2025 from 1:00 to 5:00 P.M.

There will be another Celebration of Life Gathering held at the Novinger Firehouse in Novinger, MO, on Sunday, February 9, 2025 at 2:00 P.M. with a Prayer Service held at 3:00 P.M. with a luncheon to follow the Prayer Service. Honorary pallbearers will be Jeff Baird, Brandon Baird, Kevin Baird, Danny Babcock, Butch Baird, Jaimie Wurr, and the Adair County R1 Class of 1995.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Coon Rapids and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com

Mike was born on November 11, 1976 to Marie (Bancardi) Baird and Jerry Ruggels in Quincy, IL.  He was born as a triplet with his brothers Kevin & Jeff.

He grew up in Novinger, MO, and attended Adair County R1 School in Novinger graduating with the Class of 1995. Mike was employed at Adair Foods/Kraft in Kirksville, MO for 14 years and at Servpro Restoration. He later worked for his brother Kevin at Baird’s Floor Covering in Novinger.

If Mike wasn’t out fishing or camping on the river, he was turkey and deer hunting. In the spring he could be found walking fields and ditches searching for sheds or mushroom hunting. But his most love of all was rock hunting, walking the riverbanks of the Chariton River and 1000 Hills for artifact arrowhead rocks. He often referred to himself as “a rock hunting fool”. It was nothing for Mike to pack a lunch and head to the river for the day. He loved anything to do with the great outdoors. His favorite colors were camo and orange. Mike loved to cook and host BBQs for friends and family. He loved his family greatly and enjoyed special camping and fishing trips with them. Even though he could be extremely stubborn, he had a heart of gold and would help anyone in need. He was often a prankster and life of the party. If Mike has a bad day his motto was "tomorrow's another day".  In 2020, Mike moved to Iowa to his late brother Ozzie’s home. While on a fishing exhibition he met Sheila. It was love at first sight and they were inseparable. Shortly after Mike moved to Coon Rapids. While in Coon Rapids Mike was employed as a cook. He was diagnosed with Bile Duct Cancer in 2023.

Mike is survived by his fiancé Sheila Wurr of 5 years and her parents Dennis & Sandy Wurr of Coon Rapids, IA; brothers: Butch Baird (Diana) and their family of Pomona, MO, Kevin Baird (Kelly) and their family of Novinger, MO; Jeff Baird (Mindy) and their family of Novinger, MO; sister-in-law Lisa Baird and her family of Duncombe, IA; brother-in-law Jaimie Wurr and his family of Bayard, IA; special childhood friend Danny Babcock and his family of Novinger, MO; son Michael Baird-Cordray of Lancaster, MO; daughter Makayla Baird-Cordray of Novinger, MO; plus many childhood friends, nieces, nephews, cousins and step family.

Mike is preceded in death by his parents, brother Ozzie Baird, and daughter Whitney Baird.