Carolyn Sue Baird

Dec 10, 1941 — Oct 23, 2026

Goodland, Kansas

Carolyn Sue Baird. Photo courtesy of Koons-Russell Funeral Home

Carolyn, known by most people as Sue, was born on December 10th, 1941 in the Boothroy Memorial Hospital in Goodland, KS. She was the third child born to Floyd and Sylvia Finley who lived on their farm five miles west and four miles north of Brewster, Kansas. She had two older siblings, Betty Louise and Gerald Lee. Sue grew up in a Christian home as the Finleys trusted in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and as a family faithfully attended Pleasant Home Church which was just over a mile away from their farm. She had many happy memories of her time on the farm, church and school and it was in the Brewster school that she met her future husband, James “Jim” Robert Baird. On January 24th, 1959, Jim and Sue were married, then following graduation, moved to Hays, Kansas where Jim attended Fort Hays and Sue worked for the Farm Bureau insurance office to support them during their four years there. After Jim graduated, they moved back to Brewster and on August 7th, 1963, Sue gave birth to twin boys, Perry and Larry. The following year, the Baird family moved to Bazine, Kansas as Jim was hired and worked for ten years as the bookkeeper in the Bazine Farmers Coop. While in Bazine, Sue was very active being gifted at many things including sewing, cooking, cleaning, teaching Sunday School and more. There was almost always some kind of project on the dining room table and at the same time she often worked outside the home. In 1974, they moved to her parents’ farm. After moving back home, she worked at the Good Samaritan Center nursing home in Colby, Kansas as a nurse aid and CMA. The entire family was active in the Pleasant Home Church, Goodland Bible Church and Goodland Christian School. Sue often sang specials in church or helped with different school or church activities. Even though Sue attended church and did many good things, she wasn’t saved until 1982, when she trusted in Christ, Who changed her life dramatically to how we think of her today. A lot could be said of Sue in her many years of faithful service to the Lord right up to the end. God used her mightily in many different places and ministries to touch lives. She was a loyal wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, faithful friend, prayer warrior, lover of God and His Word, teacher, musician, song writer and much more. Later, she and Jim spent hours together praying for others and reading the Bible every day. She especially liked to write out Bible verses, call people on the phone sometimes daily and encourage them with words of hope, prayer, singing and by simply being Sue. She always enjoyed being outside mowing, gardening and working in her flowers. There aren’t enough words to summarize Sue Baird's life.

Preceding her in death is her husband, Jim, her parents Floyd and Sylvia Finley, sister Betty Wolfe and brother Gerald Finley.

Surviving family includes two sons Perry (Terry) Baird of Goodland and Larry (Lilia) Baird of Zacatecas, Mexico; 6 grandchildren Benjamin Baird, Katie (Denny) Windell, Julia (Matt) Wahl, Aaron (Liliana) Baird, Melissa (Alex) Jacobo, and Isaac (Rachel) Baird. She also has 17 great-grandchildren; Madilynn Simpson, Adam Simpson, Adalyne Windell, Lucas Wahl, Lincoln Wahl, Raea Wahl, Ruby Wahl, Aleia Wahl, Anna Marie Wahl, Maleny Baird, Sophia Baird, Alex Jacobo, Anna Jacobo, Nathan Jacobo, Eli Baird, Mila Baird and Remi Baird, Plus, three more on the way.

In Lieu of Flowers, memorial contributions may be made out to the Harvest E-Free Church and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.