Virginia Beach ~ Kathy Ann Baird (O’Kane, Jasper), 57, passed away on Friday, February 19, 2021 at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She was born on September 23, 1963, in Lowell, Massachusetts. She is preceded in death by her loving mother, Jill, and father Brian O’Kane, as well as her sister, Penny and brother, John. Kathy is survived by her devoted husband, Paul Baird, her children Nicole and Matthew Jasper and her twin sister Daina Nichols and brother Marc O’Kane.
Kathy grew up in Wappingers Falls, New York. After graduating from high school, she attended Ithaca College and received a Bachelor of Music Education degree. She enlisted in the United States Navy and performed as a trumpeter, well known for her talent and skills. While enlisted, she met and married Richard and started a family with first child, Nicole. Soon after, their service saw them stationed in Naples, Italy, where they welcomed their second child, Matthew. Kathy ultimately ended her time with the Navy in order to be a full-time mother. They finally settled with her family in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where she lived until her death.
She accepted a position with Virginia Beach City Public Schools in 2005 and started her career as an Orchestra Director at Bayside High School later that year. Kathy was lovingly dedicated to her students and focused on improving, not only their experiences through music, but by making meaningful human connections. In 2006, she fell in love with Paul and was married June 22, 2014. Well known throughout both the orchestra and local community as a devoted and loving couple, Paul and Kathy were always together and endlessly supportive of each other.
Through the Kindness Rock Project, she enjoyed painting and leaving messages on stones and found joy in seeing the journey the stones took with the people who found them. She left her home with Paul full of her own photographs and paintings. Her favorite place to be was on Lake Anna, with Paul, boating, water-skiing, tubing and enjoying the sunshine on the water. Selfless, caring and thoughtful, she was known for always remembering the good things about the people she knew and loved.
Family, friends, and others whose lives Kathy touched are invited to attend a virtual memorial service on Saturday, April 3 at 3:00pm. As this will be a virtual service, please email kathybaird.memorial@gmail.com to receive the link to attend. In lieu of flowers, financial contributions may be made to the Scleroderma Research Foundation (click here, or type “https://bit.ly/3uCsW4E” into your browser).