Stella Harriet Berg Baird Passes in Moore, Idaho March 7 2011

Stella Harriet Baird, 92, of Moore, Idaho, died peacefully at her home surrounded by her family Monday, March 7, 2011. Stella was born Sept. 8, 1918, in Reynolds, N.D., to Samuel Marwell Berg and Helena Sollom Berg. She lived in this largely Norwegian farming area her entire childhood. She attended school in and around Reynolds and graduated from Grand Forks High School in 1936. Following graduation, Stella lived around the Grand Forks area working for and helping family. In the fall of 1938, Stella moved out west to Los Angeles, Calif., with an aunt and uncle. Stella worked for Howard Hughes on the assembly line and later for an insurance company as an underwriter. Stella's younger brother, Vernon, died in June 1944 in Saipan during World War II. Stella came home that summer and stayed home for a few months and worked on the farm. In 1945, Stella moved back to California. She became fast friends and then roommates with a co-worker named Betty Baird. Stella was introduced to Betty's brother, Bill. They fell in love and were married in Los Angeles at the First English Lutheran Church on Feb. 25, 1949. Bill and Stella spent many years traveling to and living in many different cities throughout California following Bill's work. During this time, two daughters were born to Bill and Stella -- Linda, followed 10 years later by Laura. In 1970, Bill and Stella took a leap of faith and bought 180 acres of farmland and a dilapidated farmhouse in the beautiful Lost River valley. Together, they rebuilt and added on to the house, raised chickens, sheep, goats, horses and pigs, and grew hay. Bill did all types of construction and Stella was his "right-hand man." Stella was a baptized Lutheran and always spoke fondly of her younger years spent in the Rosendahl Lutheran Church. Stella enjoyed gardening, fishing, puzzles, reading, sewing, cooking, playing cards, shoveling her own sidewalk, and splitting and hauling her own firewood. Most of all, she enjoyed her family, especially her great-grandchildren. Stella is survived by two daughters, Linda (Jake) Parcells of Nampa, Idaho, and Laurie (Brent) Gamett of Moore; three grandchildren, Brecia (Jason) Hansen and Case (Shannon) Gamett, both of Moore, and Jamie (Lance) Vanderpool of Nampa; five great-grandchildren, Brice and Owen Hansen, and Austin, Ashton and Kyla Vanderpool; and two sisters, Irene (Abner) Amundson of Moorpark, Calif., and Norma Zylstra of Chelhalis, Wash. Stella was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; parents; brother; and a sister, Margaret. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, March 11, at Lost River Funeral Chapel in Arco. A visitation will take place one hour prior to services. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Lost Rivers EMTs. Published in Post Register on March 10, 2011