Carol Gandy Seip Bird

Carol Phillips Gandy Seip Bird passed away quietly and peacefully at her home on Sunday February 22, 2015. Carol (b. May 13, 1926) was a loving wife who cared for two husbands in health and at life's end-John J. Seip, Jr. (m. 1949-1976) and Wilmer Bird (m. 1980-2009). She enjoyed reflecting on her life as a young bride with husband John in Greenwich Village in New York, where they lived at 6 Perry Street, and on her later travels to South Africa, Europe, the Far East, Canada and Mexico. She was also an exceptional mother raising her son John J. Seip III and guiding him through the death of his father when he was still a very young man. She was a leader and an organizer. When the Seip family and the Bird family came together upon marriage of their parents, it was Carol who led the way, blending both families into one seamlessly. This included her son John (and wife Susan Weintritt) and his children Adam and Ana Eleanor Seip, step children Kate Bird Tierney and daughters Kathleen (David), Jennifer and Amanda (Kyle); Richard Bird (Trudy) and son Richard, Jr.; Evelyn Bird Ward (now deceased) and daughters Sarah Solomon (Jim), Rachel and Leah (Rob), as well as a host of great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. The daughter of Marshall Harvey "Cap" Gandy and Carol Phillips Gandy, Carol was a lifelong resident of Baton Rouge spending her early childhood at 1810 Cherokee Street where she grew up with her dear brother Harvey (Merilyn). She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother. She had many good memories of friends and family in Baton Rouge, especially her very special childhood friend Betty Moyse Simmons. Carol was a powerful presence in her days at LSU, achieving academic honors in school and leadership in Kappa Delta Sorority. Carol was graduated from LSU in 1946 with a degree in Journalism. After graduation she served as editor of the LSU Alumni News and remained throughout the rest of her life a member of the LSU Alumni Association. She went on to work for many years at the Baton Rouge social magazine "The Register" for Orene Muse where she was a staff writer with a byline column ("Ad-Libbbing") on all subjects related to family and fun. She ended her professional career as a commercial real estate agent in Baton Rouge where she worked successfully for many years with Durward Gully and Betty Phelps. Her honors included Baton Rouge Real Estate Rookie of the Year. She spent her final years at St. James Place Retirement Community, among many of her friends and neighbors from over the years. A small memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 28 at the St. James Place Chapel, followed by at 3:00 p.m. a celebration of Carol's life in the nearby Convocation Hall. Visitors are asked to enter through the Gatehouse then proceed to St. James Square, 333 Lee Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank in the name of Carol Bird, at P.O. Box 45830, Baton Rouge, LA 70895.