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Raymond Paul Bird, 96,
of Nampa, a retired Union Pacific Railroad engineer, died
Monday, October 11, 1993, at a Boise care center.
Graveside funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m.
Thursday, October 14, 1993, at the Hillcrest Memorial Gardens.
Rev. Robert G.S. Mock of Nampa will officiate, with Masonic
graveside rites by the Nampa Ashlar Lodge #29 A.F. & A.M.
Friends are asked to meet at the cemetery. Services are
under the direction of the Alsip Funeral Chapel, Nampa.
Mr. Bird was born Feb. 3, 1897, at Lafayette, Ore., the
only child of Robert Alderman Bird and Cyrene Carey Bird.
He was reared and educated in Portland, Ore., and also
attended Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore. He was a
direct descendant of the settlers who came to Oregon on the
1843 wagon train headed by Jesse Applegate.
He married Agnes Margaret Zygowski of Portland, Nov.
23, 1916, in Mountain Home, Idaho. They made their home
in Glenns Ferry, until moving to Payette, Ontario, and later
to Nampa.
Mr. Bird began his railroad career with the Union
Pacific Railroad in 1916 at Glenns Ferry, Id., as a road
fireman on hand-fired steam locomotives. He started
serving as an engineer in 1936, retiring from the Boise Local
run in 1967, completing 51 years service with the Union
Pacific.
Mr. Bird was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, and Union Pacific Old Timers Club of Nampa.
He was a life member of Ashlar Masonic Lodge #29 A.F. & A.M.,
a member of Cyrus Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and was active
in the Masonic Lodge of Research. He also served as
DeMolay Dad. He was a life member of Nampa Elks Lodge
#1389, and Boise Rod and Gun Club.
An avid baseball enthusiast, he managed the Ontario,
Ore., baseball team, an affiliate of the Southern Idaho
League, in the 1920s and 1930s. He was a first baseman,
and was also involved in the Pioneer Baseball League.
Survivors include his daughter, Margaret Taylor of
Nampa; two grandsons, Paul Taylor of McCall, and David Taylor
and his wife, Dolores of Carnation, Wash.; three
great-grandchildren, Jennifer and Karen of Carnation, Wash.,
and Michele of San Diego, Calif.
He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents,
son-in-law, Bill Taylor and a great-grandson, Jason Taylor.
The family suggests that memorials may be made to
Shriners Crippled Children's Hospital, Fairfax Avenue at
Virginia Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103; Elks
Rehabilitation Hospital, 204 Fort P., Boise, Idaho 83712; or
Grace Episcopal Church Memorial Fund 911 4th St., Nampa, Id
83651; or a favorite charity. |
