The Fresno Bee from Fresno, California • B4

4B SUNDAY NOVEMBER 22 2015Insight FRESNOBEE.COM Tributes Services Announcements WHITEHURST Sullivan, Burns Blair Lic. www.whitehurstsullivan.com FUNERAL DIRECTORY For more information regarding this section, call our Obits department at (559)441-6228 for an appointment, 9:30 A.M. 11:00 A.M. Notices in this bannered section are published daily in The Fresno Bee. These are paid notices processed through The Fresno Bee Classified Advertising Department.

Notices may be submitted Monday through Friday in person by appointent only, by fax or by e-mail. Deadline for Tuesday through Friday is 11:00 A.M. the day prior. Deadlines for Saturday, Sunday and Monday is 11:00 A.M.on Friday. For more information call our Obits department at (559)441-6228 e-mail, fax: (559)495-6825 JERRY LEE BAIRD JB After a wonderful life's journey, Jerry Lee Baird, also known as "JB," age 79, of Fresno, CA, left his be- loved family on Friday, November 13, 2015.

Jerry graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1954, and attended Fresno State College majoring in ac- counting. Jerry was brilliant with numbers and acted as an accoun- tant, controller, and business man- ager for several prominent agribusinesses. In 1960, Jerry mar- ried Phyllis Wood of Tranquillity, CA. In 1967, Jerry began a 48 year ca- reer as an independent insurance agent specializing in commercial, agribusiness and crop insurance. In 1973, he founded Jerry Baird Insurance Agency.

He not only took pride in his business, but truly relished friendships he made during his career. Jerry never met a person he couldn't talk to. He kept in touch with his friends from high school days, Fresno State College, Cali- fornia Air National Guard, Shriners Mounted Patrol, as well as valued friends from Tranquillity and the westside. Jerry had a passion for showing and collecting classic cars. He had many wonderful "Car Guy" friends.

Jerry was a charismatic and ad- venturous soul who touched the lives of many people. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. A life long Sinatra JB, You Did It Your Way! Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Willard "Bill" and Margue- rite Baird. He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Linda Baird; son, Jace Baird and his wife Lisa; daughter, Alyson Gorubec and her husband Richard; step-daughters, Melinda Little and her husband Lance, and Tricia Worthington. Jerry was proud to be called "Papa" by his nine grandchildren.

He is also survived by his siblings, Beverly McMichael, Art Baird, Gary Baird and his wife Deb, and Deborah Johnson and her husband Bob. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the GL Johnson Chapel at Peoples Church, 7172 N. Cedar Fresno, CA, on Saturday, Nov- ember 28, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. The family requests, in lieu of flow- ers, send remembrances to Ameri- can Lung Association; or the Dia- betes Research Institute. Condolences may be offered by visiting www.whitehurstsullivan.com WHITEHURST, SULLIVAN, BURNS BLAIR FUNERAL HOME 1525 East Saginaw Way Fresno, California (559)227-4048 THOMAS EUGENE BLAGG Thomas Eugene Blagg, "Tom" passed away on November 18, 2015, at the age of 63.

He was born on October 15, 1952 in Fresno to Doyle and Beverly Blagg; younger brother of Terry Paul. He grew up a boy scout and loved to fish and hunt but his passion was sailing. He started sailing at age eight and be- gan racing at nine years old. He quickly became one of the best jun- ior sailors in the Fresno Yacht Club. Tom continued sailing his whole life, but racing his boat "Pearl" is where his legacy as a national champion began.

Tom graduated from Fresno High School and then The University of Pacific School of Pharmacy in 1975, Phi Delta Chi Fraternity. He started his 40 year pharmacy career at St. Agnes Medical Center working in the in-patient setting be- fore transferring to St. Agnes for profit organization, San Joaquin Health Care, an outpatient IV infu- sion center. There he started as an IV pharmacist and was later board appointed as Administrator where he developed the outpatient wound center, the first of its' kind in the val- ley.

With his past experience with Joint Commission, he was then able to successfully achieve accredita- tion to the outpatient health center at Fresno State as Pharmacy Manager. He later went into retail as Pharmacy Manager where he chose to finish his career at Costco Pharmacy in Riverpark. He spent his last days at his home on Millerton Lake where he spent much time with family and friends. Tom was preceded in death by his mother; and father, Beverly and Doyle Blagg. Tom leaves behind his wife of 29 years, Kelly; two daughters, Brenna and Kaitlin; sister Terry Paul; and her husband John (Julianne Nitta and Jen Schroer).

A Service will be held at Trinity Community Church 12168 Willow Ave, Clovis, CA 93619 on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. A Reception to follow. Remembrances can be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, www.themmrf.org. ROBERT I. KERR Robert I.

Kerr, age 84, passed away November 9, 2015, after com- plications from an illness. Bob was born in Woodlake, CA, in 1931, to Irvin and Bessie Kerr. He grew up in Sequoia National Park, where his father was a ranger and he graduated from Woodlake High School. He married Kathleen (Tait) Kerr in Tulare, CA, in 1956. Bob was with the 660th Army Engineer Battalion during the Kor- ean Conflict.

He served in California and Alaska from 1953 to 1955 where he was responsible for deve- loping topographic maps of Alaska for the United States Army. After his service, he returned to Oregon State University and graduated in 1956, with a degree in Forestry. He started his career with the National Park Service as a seasonal ranger in Yosemite National Park. He then transferred to the Great Smoky Mountains as a Ranger. From there his career took him to the Fire Office in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, Assistant Chief Ranger at Shenandoah Nat- ional Park, Chief Ranger at Ever- glades National Park, to serving time in the National Park Service Interior Department Office in Wash- ington, D.C.

for management train- ing. He then became the Super- intendent at Zion National Park, Canyonlands Group National Park, and Grand Teton National Park. Bob ended his 34 year career as National Park Southwest Regional Director in Santa Fe in 1986. He re- ceived the Department of Interior Meritorious Service Award in 1978, and the Distinguished Service Award in 1986. After his retirement, he was able to spend as much time as he liked hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, visiting his kids and grandkids and enjoying life.

He cherished and valued his time with family, friends and co-workers throughout his long life. Bob was preceded in death by his father Irvin; his mother Bessie; his step-mother Doris; and a grandson, Cristian Chavez Kerr. He is survived by his wife Kathleen; son, Ken and wife Linda; daughter, Karen Hodges and hus- band Gary; son, Michael and wife Kristianne; grandchildren, Chris and Dennis Hodges, Cody and Megan Kerr, Cameron, Caden and Cael Chavez Kerr; and sister, Carol Magarian. Bob will be cremated, and there will be a private service at a later date. If you wish to remember him, please take a friend to lunch and en- joy.

DR. SIGMUND HUGO SCHANDERL Doc Dr. Sigmund H. Schanderl "Doc" died on Tuesday, Novem- ber 17, 2015, surroun- ded by his family. He was born on February 13, 1927, in Argentina, and relocated to Ger- many where he spent his early childhood and fortunately sur- vived World War II.

He returned to Arg- entina and ultimately to his beloved Cali- fornia. He received his Ph.D. from University of California, Davis, in 1962. He spent his 65 year career working in the wine and food in- dustry, and teaching as a professor at Mi- chigan State Univer- sity in the Food Sci- ence department and California State Uni- versity, Fresno, in the Enology department. He also worked with Valley Fig Growers, Gallo Winery, Del Monte, Fleischmann's Vinegar, Wente Vine- yards, and as a private consultant to the wine and food industry.

He had a passion for knowledge, collecting rocks, rescuing grey- hound dogs, and a profound love of na- ture. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hugo and Maria Schanderl; sister, Sie- glinde Mandoli; and his wife, Barbara H. Schanderl. He is survived by his daughters, Linda Mar- cinowski, Helen Win- kler and Mara Young; grandchildren, Chris- tina Ide, Michelle Mar- tin, Diana and Lance Winkler, Alexandra and Christiana Young; great-grandchildren, Andy and Natalie Ide; and the great love of his life for 42 years, Betty Rothman. The family would like to thank all those who loved Sigmund and compassionately cared for him during his times of illness.

A Memorial Cere- mony is planned for his birthday in 2016. In lieu of flowers, do- nations may be made to the Greyhound Ad- option Center, www. greyhoundog.org. attacks a plea to offer safe shelter. Feeling frantic, I knew I must check on Romain Pacaud, the young French student who entered my life exactly one decade ago, a chance yet fate- filled meeting at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

He was alone and lost, en route to California to spend his summer with a host family that sadly turned out to be his worst nightmare. We adopted him on the spot and he spent his summer with us as we forged an unbreakable bond that would with- stand time, distance, and now, even terrorist at- tacks. He was family. And so as headlines erupted in Paris, Ro- whereabouts and well-being became of paramount concern. After all, I knew he liked soccer, music and food and could have easily been spending his evening at any one of the targeted locations.

I emailed, messaged on Facebook and sent pleading queries to his relatives. Are you OK? Are you OK? Are you OK? By early morning, he wrote me that he was safe. We met on our iPads, via FaceTime. Making eye contact, seeing his face, we talk- ed for hours. Later that night, he sent me pages of reflections, a few of them translated here: the same manner that I watch a Hollywood production, my eyes are not able to leave the screen.

I am in shock. I do not recognize Paris. These images. All the blood. Deserted streets.

I believe these imag- es are taken a few kilom- eters from me. look out the window and realize that I have not heard any noise out- side for a while not a car not a pedestrian no one. is 3 in the morning. done. My eyelids are heavy.

One last time I realize there is no noise in the street. Only More than a week has passed and there are new posts, prayers and pic- tures. Fatalities have climbed while names, stories and memorials make this tragedy all the more real and unbear- able. I find myself caught in a grief relapse I cannot shake for now. a strange paralysis, magni- fied by the other trage- dies closer to home on our college campuses earlier this month.

Walk- ing into walls, staring into space, I talk to my- self in French in an ef- fort to soothe my spirit. hard to imagine a way out of this madness. We find ourselves hold- ing breaths, walking on eggshells, and function- ing on high alert. Wait- ing for the next shoe to drop, waking up feeling small and powerless, but the truth of the matter is each of us must do something. Even if that means calling our moth- ers, reaching out to friends in need, mending fences, performing acts of kindness or reciting sacred prayers for peace.

Showing up for each other is a good place to start, and with the holi- days right in front of us, the timing be better. We leave this for politicians, power brokers and world lead- ers to fix. I am a longtime collec- tor of French fairy tales. My book collection was born in a tiny flea mar- ket in Paris the year I studied abroad back in the early 1970s. Through the years, I have gathered dozens of books, ones I now enjoy reading to my grand- children.

Tonight I want to read them the line promising that somewhere in time, we will crush hatred and all live happily ever after. Il etait une fois (Once upon a time) Armen D. Bacon is a writer and co-author of An Intimate Portrait of Love, Loss and Unlikely and a collection of essays called Name is FROM PAGE 1B BACON.