LEWISTON – Milton J. Baird, 64, of Turner, died on Tuesday, June 9, at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center after a lengthy illness.

He was born Dec. 24, 1944, in St. Johnsbury, Vt., the son of Avis (Wallace) Baird and James J. Baird. He attended the Hinckley School in Hinckley.

In his senior year, he left to join the Navy. After he completed three years, he switched over to the Air Force to complete his 20 years of service, leaving as a technical sergeant. He did two tours of duty in Vietnam – as well as Belgium, Louisiana, Turkey, Spain, Las Vegas, Saudi Arabia and New Mexico.

He spent two years at Ford Aerospace and Communications in Las Vegas then changed to become a mechanic for U-Haul before having a stroke in December 1987 that left him severely disabled. While stationed in Belgium, he became very interested in car rallies and he took up off-road racing in Las Vegas.

In November 1990, he contacted the Hinckley School to see if they knew the location of his former sweetheart and he then contacted her. They were married in July 1991. They lived in Laconia, N.H., and Lancaster, N.H., before moving to Sabattus and Auburn, then finally to Turner.

He was a member of Sixth Street Congregational Church in Auburn and was a trustee of the church from 1988 to the present. He was also on the search committee when the pastor left.

After joining the Disabled American Veterans Emilien Hamann Chapter 11, he became it’s Commander in 1998 until he gave it up in 2008 to go to Florida for the winter. He and his wife took many trips together to Bermuda, Hawaii, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida.

He is survived by his wife Judy Baird of Turner; his daughter, Cindy Rohrbach and her two sons, Gary and Cody of Las Vegas; a son, Richard Baird also of Las Vegas; his mother, Avis Baird of Auburn; his brother, Brian Baird and wife, Carolyn, of Auburn and their children Jeffrey and Bethany; step-sons, Ross E. Gilchrist and wife, Tina, of Lewiston and their two sons, Jonathan and Joshua, Jason S. Gilchrist and wife, Stacy, of Auburn; and many cousins in Vermont.