My mom’s obituary, written by her sister Jill Garland. A beautiful tribute to my mom’s legacy.

Robin Garland Bair, 61, a faithful and loving servant of our Lord and Savior, passed away peacefully in her Columbia, Maryland, home on May 25, 2024 surrounded by her cherished family.

She was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on July 27, 1962, to two talented musicians, the late Kenneth Irving Garland, who became a radio announcer, and the late Laura Kendall Garland, a piano prodigy and homemaker. Her father’s work took the family to New York City briefly, and then to Cherry Hill, NJ, where Robin and her siblings spent the rest of their childhood. Robin graduated from Cherry Hill High School East in 1980, then received a BA in Political Science from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) in Westminster, MD, in 1984. While working full-time in senior fundraising positions at McDaniel College and then at University of Maryland, Baltimore City, Robin returned to graduate school at Johns Hopkins University to pursue a Masters degree in Business Science, Marketing, which she received in 1992. It was during this time that she met and married A. Todd Bair, who in her own words was “not just my husband, but my very best friend, advocate, champion, and cheerleader.”

Robin reveled in her role as a wife and mother and took great joy in creating wonderful family traditions and a safe and beautiful home. She and Todd raised two girls who have become loving, accomplished young women. Robin was a prolific scrapbooker and all the years of her daughters’ growing up are chronicled in these books. 

Spending time with her family, playing cards and games, traveling, visiting Chesapeake Beach, Maryland, and relaxing on lazy rivers were Robin’s favorite pastimes. She was an avid endurance runner and walker who covered thousands of miles on the roads and in the parks of her Columbia, Maryland, neighborhood. She completed three Marine Corp Marathons, a Rock ‘n Roll Marathon in San Diego, and countless half marathons and training runs with dear friends. Robin and her sister returned to Philadelphia several times to run its half marathon and raise dollars to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This was only one example of Robin’s many charitable endeavors in a lifetime of service to others.

Raised Jewish, in her mid-30’s Robin came to know Jesus as her Savior. She hopes to be remembered as someone who always pointed people to Jesus for His priceless gift of salvation, and for His love, grace, mercy and indescribable peace. She said, “I find myself filled with joy and gratitude for all Jesus has given me throughout my life…” She was deeply involved as a volunteer in church and community activities throughout her life, mostly recently at Bay Area Community Church in Annapolis, MD. She participated in several missionary trips and partnered with Operation One through their child sponsorship program to help vulnerable children access food, medical care, school tuition, and spiritual care.

In addition to her husband Todd, Robin is survived by her children Kendall Bair Dougherty (Tom) of Columbia, MD, and Caroline Irvin Bair of Arlington, VA, grandchildren Ben and Nora Dougherty; her brother Doug Garland, Moorestown, NJ, her sister Jill Garland (Andy Loose), Dobbs Ferry, NY, and step-mother Elaine Soncini Leaf, of New Smyrna Beach, FL.

Contributions in honor of Robin can be made to Avery’s Legacy of Love at Operation One, 1500 NW 167th Place Beaverton, OR 97006 or at www.operationone.org.