Obituary of Ina B. Laird

Ina Belle Phillips Laird, 85, formerly of Loyalton of Lakewood and long time resident at 35 Cedar Avenue in Jamestown, passed away Monday, October 4th, 2010 in WCA Hospital. She was born November 29, 1924 in Sugar Grove, PA, the daughter of the late Aleson and Mary Strangeway Phillips, and graduated from Sugar Grove High School in 1942. Following graduation, Ina joined the Army Air Corps where she served as a surgical technician during World War II. After the war, she married and ultimately settled in Jamestown. During her many years in Jamestown she worked at Jamestown General Hospital as a Surgical Technician and was later employed as an LPN at the former Presbyterian Home. She was also a talented wallpaper hanger and practiced this craft for many years. Affectionately known as "Kitchen Grandma", Ina loved cooking, canning, and baking for her family. Besides caring for six children, she found time to serve as a Cub Scout den mother and was a loyal fan and supporter of Midget Football, Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball. She was an avid reader and loved to play cards with close friends in the neighborhood. Ina was a member of the Jamestown Church of Christ. Surviving are her loving husband of 61 years, John "Jack" Laird of Lakewood and six devoted children: Mary Laird of Jamestown, Janice Laird of Blackwood, NJ, Nancy Paslaqua (Kenneth) of Snyder, NY, Dr. John Laird (Deborah) of Davis, CA, Robert Laird (Lisa) of Phillipsburg, NJ, and Richard Laird (Gabriela) of Cohasset, MA. Ina was fortunate to have 14 adoring grandchildren: Jessica Cusimano, Jeremy Cusimano (Emily), Jordan Moran, Joshua Moran, John Paslaqua, Robert Paslaqua, Aleson Laird, Jackson Laird, Benjamin Laird, Nicholas Laird, Christopher Laird, Jamie Laird, Shannon Laird, and Natalie Laird, and was recently blessed by the birth of her first great grandchild, Charles John Cusimano. She is also survived by two sisters, Ruth Johnson of Jamestown and Betty Lake of Morehead, KY. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Lincoln and Don Phillips, and a sister, Jane Devereaux. Ina will forever be remembered by her friends and family as an incredibly caring, kind and generous spirit who had a knack for making everyone feel special and important. Along with her husband Jack, she made the Laird house on Cedar Avenue a welcome gathering place for family, neighbors, friends, and friends of friends. The door was always open with a cup of coffee and a plate of cookies at the ready. The world already seems a far less hospitable place without Ina in it. The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday in the Lind Funeral Home. Rick McCurdy will officiate. Burial will be in Sunset Hill Cemetery. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, 311 Curtis St., Jamestown, NY 14701; the Jamestown Audubon Society, 1600 Riverside Road, Jamestown, NY 14701; or the Church of Christ, 875 Fairmount Ave., Jamestown, NY 14701.