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Wlaf1450William Forster Baird, age 84, of Jellico, Tennessee, passed away Tuesday morning, January 11, 2022, at his home. He was born on April 17, 1937, to the late Arley Baird and Myrtle Marie (Lynch) Baird in Elk Valley, TN.
His paternal grandparents were the late David Baird and Phoebe Baird. His maternal grandparents were the late Lee Lynch and Mary “Granny Doc” Lynch.
Forester was a Christian whose roots were grounded in the Church of God Faith; however, he attended Crouches Creek Baptist Church with his wife for more than 50 years.
He was a graduate of Jellico High School – Class of 1960. He earned a Bachelors Degree from Cumberland College. He then received a Masters Degree from the University of Tennessee. He also completed an additional 45 college semester hours and did other postgraduate study at the University of Tennessee.
Forster began teaching at Newcomb Elementary School in 1970. Shortly thereafter, he transferred to Jellico High School where he taught several subjects over the years. Additionally, he served as principal multiple times. Ultimately, he became the Jellico High School Principal during the transition from the “old” school to the “new” school in 1996 before retiring in 2001.
In addition to serving the students of Jellico for more than 30 years, Forster served the people of Jellico, and later, the people of the Fifth District of Campbell County. He was first elected to the Jellico City Council in the early 1980’s – an office to which he was elected multiple times. Later, he was elected to multiple terms as the Mayor of the City of Jellico. Eventually, he was elected to the Campbell County Commission where he represented the people of the Fifth District of Campbell County. Later in his political career, he was the first person in the State of Tennessee to be elected, and serve, as a Mayor and a County Commissioner concurrently.
In addition to his parents and grandparents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Herman Baird, Kenneth Burton Baird, and Elbert Baird; sister, Emma Elaine (Baird) Carson; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Edgar “Red” Douglas and Virgie (Huddleston) Douglas.
He is survived by his wife of more than 55 years, Barbara (Douglas) Baird, of Jellico; daughter, Sherry (Baird) Lancaster; two grandsons, William Tyler Lancaster and Zachary Lee Lancaster, all of Jellico; sister, Brenda (Baird) Vanscoy, and husband, Richard, of Camby, Indiana; brother-in-law, Steve Douglas, and wife, Carol, of Harriman, TN; and three sisters-in-law, Brenda Baird, of Corbin, KY, Terry Baird, of Florida, and Sharon (Douglas) Wallen, of Gadsden, Alabama.
He is also survived by several nieces and nephews, Jessica Gabbard, Robbie Gabbard, James Baird, Kenneth Baird, Greg Baird, William Baird, Leah Baird, B. J. Baird, Tammy Vanscoy, Jeff Vanscoy, Michelle Vanscoy, Scarlett Baird, Rhonda Baird, Kent Douglas, Joshua Douglas, Gregory Price, Caron Bailey, and Jenny Gottman; many great-nieces and great-nephews, countless former students who became life-long friends, numerous colleagues from the Campbell County School System, and the City of Jellico and the Campbell County Commission, as well as other local and state political offices, and many other friends, neighbors, and other relatives to mourn his passing.
There will be a Celebration of Life held on Sunday afternoon, January 23, 2022, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the Crouches Creek Baptist Church, 1518 Fifth Street, Jellico, TN, 37762. Should there be severe inclement weather, the Celebration of Life Service will be postponed one week to Sunday, January 30, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. at the same location.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests that donations be made to Crouches Creek Baptist Church, Post Office Box 216, Jellico, TN, 37762.
Cox & Son Funeral Home of Jellico is in charge of all arrangements.
“Serving families in East Tennessee and Southeast Kentucky since 1910”