of Hot Springs, AR
September 4, 1918 - October 25, 2017
Kenzie Keith Baird, pilot, boat builder, story teller and singer of songs, age 99, and longtime resident of Flippin, passed away Wednesday, October 25, 2017 in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
He was born to George H. Baird and Leah India Baird on September 4, 1918 in McCune, Kansas.
Kenzie graduated from high school in Columbus, Kansas and obtained his student's pilot certificate at the age of eighteen. He went on to obtain his commercial pilot's license and studied and flew aircraft throughout his life. He loved flying and airplanes. He told many about growing up in Kansas including the dangers of installing wind charger towers on the windy Kansas plains and escapades with his dog Clinch.
Kenzie served in the Navy during World War II in the Philippines '''' another source of many humorous stories. After the war, he worked as a model builder for Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego, California. In the mid-1950's Kenzie and his wife Annie moved to Flippin where he introduced fiberglass boat building into the north central Arkansas area when he started building Kenzie Kraft fiberglass boats. He retired in his mid-50s thinking he would probably die young as his father and brother had. His longevity gave him great pleasure because he felt he was beating the odds and beating the system.
He is survived by his nieces and nephews Victoria Mitchel, Randall Baird, Martha Head, Jimmy Moore, Tommy Carroll, and Bill Johnson.
Kenzie was preceded in death by his father George, his mother Leah, his brother Bryon, and his wife Annie.
Kenzie will be missed, but our memories of his stories and his quick wit will still be with us.
A graveside service will be 2:00 pm Thursday, November 2, 2017 at Flippin Cemetery in Flippin, Arkansas with Bro. Terry Frizzell officiating.
For online condolences go to www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/yellville
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3 Condolence(s)
Kenzie Parnell
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
My thoughts and prayers are with the family. Dad (Hubert) went to work for Kenzie at an early age, so early that when I came along I was named after dad's boss. Remember being at his home and around the plant where Diego's is now and then up where Dollar General and Town & Country are/were as a kid. Later when I became a banker I would see him in the bank and every so often at Walmart. Always stopped and talked about many things, the economy almost always and some of those stories mentioned in the obit. He will be missed. Kenzie Parnell
Dixie Moore
Monday, October 30, 2017
Uncle Kenzie,
Always enjoyed your visits. We will miss you.
Cindy Wood Young
Monday, October 30, 2017
Rest in peace, Mr. Baird. You were a fixture of my childhood years.