Joan Fitzwater Baird died peacefully on October 28, 2022, ending a joyful life that spanned 100 years.
She was born on June 14, 1922, to John and Julia Fitzwater of Penn Yan, New York. Her family lived in many places during her youth, but much of her childhood was spent in Penn Yan. Perhaps her fondest childhood memories are from the years she and her sister Nancy spent on Signal Mountain riding bikes, swimming in the Alexian Inn pool, hiking to Rainbow Lake, and riding the streetcar. During her high school years, Joan’s family moved to Atlanta where she graduated from North Fulton High School.
Joan had a brief assignment in the WAVES, serving only a few months before WWII ended. Upon her return, she attended the University of Tennessee and there, met her husband Charlie, a returning WWII Army veteran. Their early years took them to New Haven, Connecticut and Durham, North Carolina while Charlie pursued his graduate degrees in Forestry. Upon completion, they moved to Sewanee where Charlie taught at the University and Joan worked first, for the College Board, and later, in her beloved All Saints’ Chapel.
In Sewanee, she and Charlie built their community, raised their three children, and lived for the next 56 years. Between her day job and caring lovingly for her family, Joan loved painting, sewing, volunteering, and encouraging her family to eat her very chocolaty desserts. Not an avid outdoorswoman, Joan was nonetheless agreeable to a great deal of camping, working in the garden, and helping to clear land—activities they seemed to do often. She and Charlie exemplified hard work, honesty, and integrity, and strived to instill the same in their children.
In 2007, Joan and Charlie moved to Alexian Village on Signal Mountain. After Charlie’s death a year later, Joan stayed very involved, attending lectures and performances, volunteering, and going on day trips. But most important to her were her many, many, newfound friendships with fellow residents and the Alexian staff. Even after her move into Assisted Living in 2017 at age 95, she remained happy, busy, and positive, continuing her can-do attitude. There, she enjoyed being with friends, walking the hills surrounding Alexian, visiting sick friends in the hospital, listening to books, traveling, sitting on her porch, and working on her iPad and computer. She loved life.
Joan was blessed to be born with an amazingly joyful and optimistic perspective and a wonderful sense of humor. She found the best in others and had the gift of making everyone feel special. An extrovert at heart, Joan loved and accepted all people. Daily, she was doing and thinking of others. Her selflessness and positive outlook inspired her adoring children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, all of whom she loved so much and was so proud. She would smile knowing that she died on National Chocolate Day.
Joan is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Charles O’Connor Baird; her sister, Nancy Fitzwater Dragoo Goss; and her beloved cat, Reeses. Joan is survived by son, Bruce Baird (Sandy) of Sewanee; two daughters, Julia Denegre (Stan) of Dallas and Libby Thoni (Joe) of Signal Mountain; eight grandchildren, Matt Baird (Sara), Erin Stone (Ned), Lauren Feidler (Matt), Amelia Rezai (Kourosh), Stanhope Denegre (Katie), Will Thoni (Kelsey), Lizzie and Baird Thoni; seven great-grandchildren, Sally and Charlie Stone, Caroline and Whitt Baird, Stanhope and O’Connor Denegre, and Thomas Rezai; and two nieces, Susan Sasse (Jim) and Anne Ramsey (Gary).
The family would like to acknowledge the care, kindness, and friendships she received from the staff at Alexian Village during her 15 years there. From Joan’s perspective, she could not have been in a more perfect place. The date for a memorial service in Sewanee has not yet been set. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributions to the Chattanooga Food Bank, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, or the Histiocytosis Association.
Moore-Cortner Funeral Home, 300 First Ave NW, Winchester, TN 37398, (931)-967-2222
