The Rev. Frederick Lee Bird

Rev. Bird is survived by his loving spouse of 32 years, Donetta Bird; the mother of his children and first spouse, Karen Bird; and his three children, Sara Bird of Rochester, New York, Benjamin Bird (Shelly Thropp) of South Park, Pennsylvania, and Aaron Bird and his family, Rai Bosch and their children Tristan Bird, Samuel Bosch-Bird, Zachary Bosch-Bird and Tyler Bosch-Bird of Milford, Ohio.

Rev. Fred Bird was born on Nov. 9, 1946, in Montgomery, West Virginia, to Wilford and Wava Bird.

Fred was raised in the coal company town of Boomer, West Virginia. He attended Gauley Bridge High School, West Virginia Institute of Technology in Montgomery, West Virginia (BA History) and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (MS Social Work).

Later in life, Fred studied theology and became an ordained Episcopal priest through the Diocese of West Virginia in 1999. Fred dedicated his life to the service of others as a social worker, Episcopal priest, and community volunteer. Fred started his adult life in service to others giving his blood, sweat, and tears to the rural folk of East Tennessee in Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA).

In the mid-1970s, Fred and family made Elkins, West By God, their home. Fred became heavily involved with the West Virginia Scenic Trails Association, playing an instrumental role in the development and maintenance of the Allegheny Trail, particularly its gorgeous and winding route through the Monongahela National Forest. Fred loved hiking, fishing, hunting and foraging, which was very much a part of his own rural Appalachian upbringing. His favorite fishing spots were along the Cranberry River, the Glady and Shavers Forks of the mighty Cheat and his favorite lake was, of course, Spruce Knob. Whitewater rafting the wild rivers of West Virginia was also a passion of Fred’s. But like most things, Fred did it his own way — with a little Appalachian engineering — on a retooled inflatable military pontoon boat affixed with a homemade wooden oar frame.

In the winter, Fred enjoyed laying tracks in the snow on his x-country skis, a pastime he enjoyed frequently with life-long friend, Glenn “Corky” Davis. Fred instilled an abiding love of nature and all its wonders in his children who remain creatures of the wild to this day.

Fred was a sports fanatic in the truest sense of the word. He loved soccer the most. Fred volunteered his time coaching his kids and many other Elkins area youth in the Elkins Youth Soccer Association and supported the Tigers by calling a few soccer games at Wimer Field. Fred was a lifelong WVU Mountaineer football fan, but he cheered especially hard for the WVU women’s soccer and basketball programs. Fred never abandoned his alma mater in Knoxville and partook of Volunteers athletics every chance he could. Some folks consider car racing to be a sport and Fred was a big, big fan of NASCAR. Sunday afternoon car races on the TV were always cherished opportunities for Fred to get his post service naps in.

Fred was a pacifist, a humanist, a follower of Jesus, and a man of God. He never uttered an unkind word about another soul and he had a wide-open heart and mind for anyone and everyone. Fred embodied the lessons from the Parable of the Sheep and Goats and his most beloved prayer was the Prayer for Peace attributed to St. Francis of Assisi.

Despite his somewhat anti-capitalist tendencies and do-gooder nature, Fred did agree to earn a small paycheck every once and a while as a social worker for the Appalachian Mental Health Center, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, and the Elkins Rehabilitation and Care Center. Fred attempted and failed at retirement multiple times, but eventually settled down to just working on Sundays, ministering to the congregations of Grace Episcopal Church in Elkins, St. Matthias in Grafton, West Virginia, and Church of the Transfiguration in Buckhannon, West Virginia.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents and his older brothers, Jimmy Bird and Richard Bird. His kid brother, Wayne Bird, is the last of the original Bird boys. Fred is holding his dear brother Wayne in the bosom of his heart as he watches us from above.

There will be a formal funeral service Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Grace Episcopal Church at 212 John Street, Elkins, West Virginia.

Following the funeral service, a celebration of life will be held at the Arts Center at 2 Park Street, Elkins, West Virginia, from noon until 4 p.m.

ALL are invited to attend either or both.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia at Donate – Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia or the West Virginia Scenic Trails Association at https://www. wvscenic trails.org/be-a-donor.

The Randolph Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements for Rev. Frederick Lee Bird.

Send online condolences to the family at www.therandolphfuneralhome.com.