We are sad to bring you the news of the sudden passing of Gordon C. Baird (emeritus SUNY Fredonia) on November 3, 2026.

Baird authored many important papers in his long career, but for Mazon Creek paleontology, he might be best remembered for his foundational work towards understanding sideritic nodule preservation. That work included a survey of more than 100 Mazon Creek localities consisting of 20 strip mines and more than 90 shaft mines during the 1980’s. He said at times he was collecting 500 to 1,000 concretions per day. What a huge load of concretions that must have been… The concretions were processed via freeze/thaw on the roof of the Field Museum, where they supposedly caused some structural damage.

The results of the survey were published in the 1985 paper “Biota of a Pennsylvanian muddy coast: habitats within the Mazonian Delta Complex, northeast Illinois” (see Mazon Monday #194).

The research was revisited 2025 in the paper “283,821 concretions, how do you measure the Mazon Creek? Assessing the paleoenvironmental and taphonomic nature of the Braidwood and Essex assemblages” (see Mazon Monday #281).

Here is his obituary in the Observer.

Gordon Cardwell Baird, II, Ph.D. passed away unexpectedly November 3, 2026. He was born October 6, 1946 in Rochester, NY to the late William Cardwell Baird and Mary-Edwards (Newell) Baird.

Dr. Baird (Gordon) earned his B. A. in Geology from Earlham College in 1969, his M. S. from the University of Nebraska in Geology in 1971, his Ph. D. from the University of Rochester in Geology in 1975 with a postdoctoral at SUNY Binghamton. From 1976 to 1981 he was Assistant Curator at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and from 1982 to 2018 he served as a faculty member for the Geology Department at SUNY Fredonia, as well as the chair of the department from 2013 to his retirement in 2018.

His focus started early in his life with the abundance of fossils found in Rochester’s Middle Devonian strata that led to field-based stratigraphy. Through his lifetime he never stopped collecting, publishing, mapping and assisting colleagues and students with researching the geological and environmental history of our earth.

Some of his memberships have been with Geological Society of American (GSA), American Association of Petroleum Geologists’ (AAPG) and Sigma XI. He presented his research throughout his career at many conferences and led numerous field trips. He researched both domestically and internationally the dedicated work of many colleagues that led to many published and presented collaborations.

Gordon is survived by his wife, Carol, his brother, Daniel N. Baird (Anne Mary Mortell), his sister, Mary-Bryn Tucker, his sisters-in-law, Janet Ann Ruby, Cynthia Lou Campbell Hawthorne Baird, numerous nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. Besides his parents, Gordon is predeceased by his brother, Barclay Alexander Edwards Baird, his sister in-law, Carolyn Ann Keber Baird, his brother-in law, Alan Franklin Tucker, nephews, Eric Edwards Baird and Andrew Baird.

The funeral service will be private and flowers gratefully declined. Any memorial contributions in Gordon’s memory should be made to an organization of your choice. Online condolences may be made to larsontimkofuneralhome.com or mailed to Mrs. Carol A. Baird, 36 Castile Drive, Fredonia, NY 14063-2333.

Arrangements by David J. Dengler, LARSON-TIMKO Funeral Home.