Jessie Lee (Creekmore) Baird, age 87, of Jellico

Jessie Lee (Creekmore) Baird, age 87, of Jellico, Tennessee, passed away early Tuesday morning, January 30, 2024, at Baptist Health Corbin.

She was born on September 15, 1936, to the late E. H. “Dick” Creekmore, Sr. and Elizabeth “Lib” (Wilson) Creekmore in Jellico.  Her paternal grandparents were the late Sylvester “Ves” Creekmore and Jessie (Hollingsworth) Creekmore.  Her maternal grandparents were the late James Taylor Wilson and Elizabeth (Griffith) Wilson.

She was a graduate of Jellico High School – Class of 1954.  She was a long-time member of the First Baptist Church of Jellico.

Jessie was a well-known public figure in the Jellico area who worked at several of the family’s businesses throughout the years.  She had a delightful demeanor and an impeccable sense of style.  She was a classy lady who also had a wonderful sense of humor.  She was a much beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt and friend.

Creekmore & Son Supermarkets were founded by her grandfather, and subsequently owned by her parents, before being purchased by Jessie, and her late husband, Sterling.  She also was co-owner of American Home Furnishings where she was the manager for many years.  Later, she managed Gregory’s Family Tree Restaurant, which was owned by her son, Greg, where she welcomed locals and tourists alike into the restaurant as though it were her own home.

In addition to her parents and grandparents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Sterling Baird; five aunts, Hazel (Creekmore) Ellis, and husband, Carl, Georgie (Creekmore) “Ms. George” Adkins, and husband, Ben, Thelma (Wilson) Llewellyn, and husband, Morgan, Christine (Wilson) Adkins, and Lillian (Wilson) Archer; two uncles, T. J. Wilson and George Wilson; two nieces, Stacey (Creekmore) Paulsen and Ashley (Creekmore) Oakes; three brothers-in-law, Robert D. Cox, J. C. “Budgie” Baird, and wife, Wilma, and Millard Baird, and wife, Bobbie; two sisters-in-law, Grace (Baird) Sexton, and husband, Willard, and Lola (Baird) Bridges, and husband, Virgil; first-cousin, Frannie Ellis; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Walter Baird and Ella (Blankenship) Baird.

She is survived by her loving daughter, Terri Lee (Baird) Ward, and husband, Mike, of Jellico, and beloved son, S. Gregory Baird, of Knoxville, TN; sister, Elizabeth Lynn (Creekmore) Cox, of Knoxville, and brother, E. H. “Dick” Creekmore, Jr., and wife, Helen, of Knoxville; nieces and nephews, Teresa (Cox) Burns, and husband, Pat, of Knoxville, Dick Howard Creekmore, and wife, Kelli, of Nolensville, TN, Jerome Baird, of St. James City, Florida, Johnny Baird, and wife, Connie, of Jellico, Jada Centers, of Mtn. Ash, KY, Deborah (Sexton) Freeman, and husband, Roger, of Knoxville, Bobbie Sue (Bridges) Shoun, and husband, Steve, of Maryville, TN, Robert Baird, and wife, Patti, of Clinton, TN, and Margaret Ann Williams, and husband, John, of Clinton, TN; nephews-in-law, Derek Paulsen, of Lexington, KY, and Bill Oakes, of Knoxville.

She is also survived by great-nieces and great-nephews, Patton Burns, and wife, Carley, Robert Burns, Elizabeth Burns, Brue Paulsen, Griffith Paulsen, Mary Elizabeth Oakes, Hutson Oakes, Ves Creekmore, Cole Creekmore, Chris Baird, Patrick Baird, Aimee Morales, Derek Shoun, Eric Freeman, Kristen Freeman, Justin Freeman, and Andrea Williams; aunt, Jenny (Culver) Wilson; first cousins, Mike Ellis, and wife, Sandra, and David Ellis; Phyllis (Llewellyn) Lay, JoAnne (Llewellyn) Watts, Elizabeth Ann Hobbs, Julia Ellison, and Jaye (Ellison) Wolfe, and a host of friends, neighbors, and other relatives to mourn her passing.

The family will receive friends for visitation on Saturday, February 3, 2024, beginning at 12:00 noon at the First Baptist Church of Jellico.

The funeral will immediately follow on Saturday afternoon, February 3, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. with Dr. Bob Dunston officiating. 

Special music will be provided by Mrs. Betty R. Hurst and Dr. Jeff Smoak.

Graveside Service and interment will follow in the Jellico Cemetery.

Cox & Son Funeral home of Jellico is in charge of all arrangements.

“Serving families in East Tennessee and Southeast Kentucky since 1910”