1923
James
2006
James Bird
May 31, 1923 — March 6, 2006
James B. "Big Bird" Bird, 82, of Wooster died Monday, March 6, 2006 at Wooster Community Hospital. ?Mass of Christian burial will be Friday at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church, Wooster with Fr. Dan Reed officiating. ?Entombment will be at Sherwood Memorial Gardens where military rites will be held. ?There will be no calling hours. ?Online tributes may be made at www.robertsfuneral home.com.
Memorial contributions may be made to People to People Ministries, ?454 E. Bowman St., Wooster, OH ?44691 or to St. Mary Catholic Church, ?527 Beall Ave., Wooster, OH ?44691.
He was born May 31, 1923 in Waterbury, Connecticut to Berton and Mary (Fenian) Bird.
He served as a Sergeant in the U. S. Marines during WWII in several key battles in the Pacific, among them Guadalcanal, the British Solomon Islands and Peleliu. His unit earned the Presidential Unit Citation. ?He built and was owner and operator of ?Buckeye Tree Restaurant. ?Jim and his best friend Gene Neyhart brought SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) to Wooster. ?They also began the program of restoring bicycles for People to People Ministries, a legacy to the Wooster area ?which continues today. ?He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church. ?He also played semi-pro hockey, was an avid golfer, and was a local painter with many of his paintings being known in the Wooster area.
He was affectionately known as "Big Bird" to his immediate, and the extended Neyhart family, of which he became their adopted grandfather. ?He loved fishing with his best friend Gene and sharing the joys of sports, art, cooking and doing projects with those around him. ?He will be missed by all whose lives he touched.
Surviving are children Cathy Robins of Seattle, Washington, and Jim (Inez) Bird of Wooster, grandchildren Jake Robins, Jonathan and Julian Bird, Captain Paul (Joanne) Draper II, Marie Draper, and great-grandson Joseph Draper, brothers John (Ursula) Bird of Tennessee, Paul Bird of Texas and Kevin (Eileen) Bird of Connecticut, a sister Eleanor (Walter) Gabriel of California and many nieces and nephews.
His parents and a brother Bob died previously.
Memorial contributions may be made to People to People Ministries, ?454 E. Bowman St., Wooster, OH ?44691 or to St. Mary Catholic Church, ?527 Beall Ave., Wooster, OH ?44691.
He was born May 31, 1923 in Waterbury, Connecticut to Berton and Mary (Fenian) Bird.
He served as a Sergeant in the U. S. Marines during WWII in several key battles in the Pacific, among them Guadalcanal, the British Solomon Islands and Peleliu. His unit earned the Presidential Unit Citation. ?He built and was owner and operator of ?Buckeye Tree Restaurant. ?Jim and his best friend Gene Neyhart brought SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) to Wooster. ?They also began the program of restoring bicycles for People to People Ministries, a legacy to the Wooster area ?which continues today. ?He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church. ?He also played semi-pro hockey, was an avid golfer, and was a local painter with many of his paintings being known in the Wooster area.
He was affectionately known as "Big Bird" to his immediate, and the extended Neyhart family, of which he became their adopted grandfather. ?He loved fishing with his best friend Gene and sharing the joys of sports, art, cooking and doing projects with those around him. ?He will be missed by all whose lives he touched.
Surviving are children Cathy Robins of Seattle, Washington, and Jim (Inez) Bird of Wooster, grandchildren Jake Robins, Jonathan and Julian Bird, Captain Paul (Joanne) Draper II, Marie Draper, and great-grandson Joseph Draper, brothers John (Ursula) Bird of Tennessee, Paul Bird of Texas and Kevin (Eileen) Bird of Connecticut, a sister Eleanor (Walter) Gabriel of California and many nieces and nephews.
His parents and a brother Bob died previously.
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