Vernon L. Laird Jr

October 6, 1929 - December 2, 2014

Vernon L. Laird Jr., 85, of Hoopeston, IL, formerly of Rankin, IL, passed away at 10:00 P.M. Tuesday December 2, 2014, at the Carle Hoopeston Regional Health Center, in Hoopeston. He was born October 6, 1929, in Hoopeston, IL, the son of Vernon L. Laird Sr. and Cora Alice (Griffin) Laird. He married on January 7, 1949 in Lafayette, IN. Surviving is a daughter, Amanda Jane (Laird) Kuntz and five sons, Gregory Steven, Jay Scott, Eric Bruce, Brian Douglas and Lee Griffin Laird He later married Bessie L. (Sprague) Carlson on October 14, 1966 at the Central Christian Church in Danville, IL. She survives in Hoopeston, along with a son Todd Lewis. He is also survived by eleven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one niece, Pam Barker; one nephew, Paul Tutwiler and three step-children, Lynn Anne (Carlson) Garula, Randall Dean Carlson and Bruce Alan Carlson. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Norma Alice Wagoner. Vernon attended Honeywell Grade School, John Greer High School and took a Business Course through LaSalle Extension University in Chicago, IL. He worked as the department manager at Montgomery Ward in Hoopeston for approximately 12 years. In 1964, he started working for Bohn Heat Transfer in Danville and other plant locations in Michigan and Atlanta. He retired in September 1989. Vernon served in the United States Marine Corps for 2 years. He had also served on the Rankin High School Board and the Rankin Board of Trustees. He was a member of the American Legion and a past member of the Rankin Lions Club. Vernon was also the past coordinator of the Rankin Crime Watch Program. Per his wishes, he will be cremated and a celebration of Vernon’s life will be held at a later date.