East Texas has lost one of its finest cultural emissaries. Funeral services were conducted last week in Gilmer for Jack F. "Spot" Baird, known throughout the state as the Professor of Possumology.

For a living, Baird was a salesman for a brick company. For fun, he lectured far and wide on the attributes of the lowly possum. "Our research shows that possum is an excellent memory food," he would say. "When you eat possum, you remember it for a long time."

Baird, 63, usually lectured in tandem with "Dr." Richard Potter, director of research in possumology. "He was absolutely one of a kind. He was an original," Potter said. "His sense of humor was all-prevailing."

Baird and Potter began their possum endeavors 15 years ago when they were invited to represent Gilmer at the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio. From there, their possumology flourished at county fairs, garage sales or wherever Baird could scare up an audience. "He never tired of performing - for one or a dozen," Potter said.

The science of possumology reached its zenith in 1982 with the opening of the International Possum Museum on the west wall of Ford's Grocery in downtown Rhonesboro. That event has been commemorated each October since with the Possum Fest in Rhonesboro, midway between Gilmer and Little Hope.

"As far as I'm concerned, we're going to do it again this year in the memory of Spot and hope for a bigger crowd than ever," said Frank Ford, owner of the grocery and curator of the museum.

The challenge, Ford said, will be finding someone to carry on Baird's duties as professor of possumology. "Ain't nobody could take his place," Ford said.

Steve Blow, who covers East Texas, is based in Tyler.
The Dallas Morning News
Sunday, May 4, 1986

"Spot" Baird was one of the sweetest, gentlest, yet at the same time most capable persons that I have ever known. I am grieved at his passing, not so much for Spot, but for myself and the rest of us who will mourn him. At the moment, it seems somehow unfair; not to Spot, for I am well aware that each of us must die exactly once, but to us who knew and loved him.
-- "Baz" Basil Barbee, LocSec