Tami Dyer

Tamara Baird Dyer passed peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, the 30th of August 2026, after a courageous battle with pulmonary fibrosis and eight months of in-home hospice care. Tami was born in Houston on the 21st of November 1940, to John Barnett and Mildred Bennett Baird, each of whom passed in 1979.

Tami was a proud “lifer” at The Kinkaid School and a member of the first class to graduate from the school’s current location in 1958. After two years at Smith College (Tami loved all of her Smithies), Tami transferred to the University of Texas at Austin, moved into Ms. Hardin’s dormitory, and pledged Pi Beta Phi. She ultimately graduated with honors from UT in 1962, barely missing Phi Beta Kappa due to an unfortunate rounding down incident in the English department. Through mutual friends at UT, Tami met an accomplished Sigma Nu golfer from Tyler, Pat Taylor Dyer. On the 14th of April 1963, Tami and Pat were married. They set the standard of an ever-loving and lifelong marriage for the rest of their family.

Tami and Pat built their life together in Houston. While Pat worked at Tenneco and went to law school at night, Tami did secretarial work and was a substitute teacher. When asked by her children why she did not appreciate, or even know, any of the classic rock music from the late 1960s and early 1970s, Tami explained that she missed it all while having babies. Stephen was born in 1966, Shannon in 1969, and Evie in 1971.

Tami was a full-time mom, carpool expert, active participant in her community, and very social person. She played championship team tennis at The University Club and Houston Country Club. She and Pat played mixed doubles everywhere. After some aggravating tennis injuries, Tami began to play golf. She quickly accepted that the most beautiful spot at most resorts is on the golf course. Tami and Pat traveled extensively to play golf together, including to Scotland, New Zealand, California, New Mexico, the Southeast, and all over Texas. Tami also was a very serious bridge player. For many decades, Tami and Pat very much enjoyed hosting others for water skiing, golf, bridge, cocktails, and sunsets at Lake Conroe. She also loved being active with Pat, family, and friends as avid supporters of the Texas Longhorns, attending most football games and traveling with the Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee in support of the UT System. Tami spent a lifetime traveling with friends and their families and loved to throw a good party.

In the 1980s, Tami started a convention services company, Insights, with a good friend. She later sold her share. Tami also actively filled her time with volunteer positions and club memberships. She was an active alumna of The Kinkaid School and co-chaired Kinkaid’s very first auction. Tami later served as president of Kinkaid’s alumni board. Tami thrived in her service to the River Oaks Garden Club and sat on the boards of the Post Oak YMCA, Covenant House, and the Tanglewood Homeowners Association. Tami also greatly enjoyed her many social clubs: Houston Country Club, Corinthian Point Yacht Club, Bentwater Golf and Country Club, Barton Creek Country Club, Sarabande Dance Club, the River Oaks Garden Club, the Dollars and Sense Investment Club, the breakfast club, Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club, and the Contemporaries Book Club. She kept busy and loved a good meeting!

Tami is notable for beating a 1996 ovarian cancer diagnosis thanks to her incredible strength and a fine team of doctors led by a dear friend, the great Dr. Ned Earle. She received a Partners in Cancer survivor award in 1998 and worked with CanCare, Inc. for several years. The family counts their miraculous thirty years since her diagnosis as a blessing.

Tami was a loyal friend and a fierce but fun-loving fighter, and she would appreciate the alliteration! Her strength and positivity were very well known. She was smart, funny, considerate, and tough as nails.

Tami’s brothers, Johnny, Edward, and Richard Baird; and her brother-in-law, Bob Dyer, all predeceased her.

Survivors include her loving husband, Pat; her three children and their spouses, Stephen and Mary Dyer, Shannon and Kelly Dowell, and Evie and Matt Rawlinson; her eight grandchildren, Carolyn Dyer and her fiancé Kevin Stadtler, Allison Gotlib and her husband Josh, J. D. Dyer, Patrick Dowell and his wife Morgan, Drew Dowell and her husband Lebo, Cortland Clements and her husband Lewis, Jax Rawlinson, and Dyer Rawlinson; and her great-grandson, Turner Dowell. Other survivors include numerous nieces and nephews on both the Baird side and the Dyer side, as well as her brothers’ wives, Jane Herring, Trisha Baird, and Judy Baird; and Pat’s sister-in-law, Louise Dyer.

The family thanks everyone at Heart-to-Heart Hospice, especially Myer Rodriguez, Angela Treminio, and Alfred Curtis.

Tami’s memorial service is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 10th of September, at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer Road in Houston, where the Rev. Ryan Trushenski is to officiate.

Immediately following all will be invited to greet the family during a reception at a location to be announced at the service.

Prior to the service, the family will gather for a private inurnment in St. Luke’s Memorial Garden.

For those unable to attend, you may join via livestream by visiting her online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com and select the “Join Livestream” icon in the service information section.

The family requests with gratitude that memorial donations be made to support ovarian cancer research at M. D. Anderson or the American Cancer Society, neurofibromatosis research at M. D. Anderson, or the charity of your choice.

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