In Memoriam: Jean H. Baird, M.A.

Jean H. Baird, M.A., who was an administrator at NEOMED for nearly 20 years, died Feb. 26, in Portland, Oregon. She was 96 years of age, and still living on her own in her condo in Portland, where her son, grandsons and great grandchildren enjoyed their grandma.

Jean came to NEOMED as the first project director of the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in 1982. She also started the AHEC newsletter, which is still circulated today. By 1985, Jean was named director of regional planning and continuing medical education. In 1989, she managed the Meshel Conference Center and developed the medical microwave telecommunications network (tower located by the RGE Building), for which she was granted one of the College’s most prestigious awards, the Provost’s Award.

Jean’s daughter, Deborah, said that she was very well versed in how the AHECs assist health care professionals, and later, when she and her Mom did road trips, Jean pointed out every microwave system tower they passed! Jean’s husband had died unexpectedly in 1974, and Jean said over and again, that it was her career and the lovely colleagues that she met at NEOMED that pulled her through. A few years after she retired, Jean settled in Portland. She spent her last 20 years enjoying her son, daughter, grandsons and great grandchildren. She also became a watercolor artist and spent many hours in the hills of Portland sketching and painting with her women artist friends.

View obituary for Jean H. Baird

--submitted by Patricia Thornborough, regional program director, AHEC