Friday, November 1, 2024
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I was shocked to learn at the end of October 2024 of the death of Bob Baird. I first met Bob and his family in 1985, when I moved to Markham from Toronto with my parents. My father, Jeremy Van-Lane, served as the incumbent priest at Grace Anglican Church from 1985 to 1996. From the first, Bob, Carol, and their family were very kind to us, and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. They were great supporters of my father and his ministry. Bob was a man of deep faith and solid values. He seemed to excel at anything he put his hand to, and it was a pleasure to serve with Bob in the late 1990s on the Grace Church (Markham) History Book Committee, on which Bob was a lead editor. Bob came across as a proper English gentleman; so much so that I did not realize at first that he was actually Welsh! Bob also had a lively sense of humour and fun. He was a great and faithful friend. When my dad passed away in 2020, Bob volunteered to give one of the readings at Dad's funeral service. I can scarcely now believe that Bob is also now gone. My thoughts and prayers are with Carol, as well as Vicki and Nick and their families in their time of loss. So long, Bob. We'll see each other again someday in Christ's presence. "Well done, good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:23) God Bless.
