Thomas Joseph Laird, age 84, of Inverness, passed away on Monday, July 18, 2016 while traveling in Alaska. Thomas was born on January 12, 1932 in Bronx, NY to the late Edward and Sadie (Cotton) Laird. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy in Naval Air from 1951 to 1955 and received four Service Medals for National Defense, Korean, China and Navy Occupation. Tom owned and operated T.J. Laird Construction Company where he built residential homes in New Jersey until his retirement in 1994.
After retirement, he moved to Newbern, N.C. for a time, but 14 years ago he made Inverness, FL his permanent home. A Catholic by faith, he was a member of the St. Scholastica Catholic Church, Lecanto. In his spare time, Tom enjoyed boating, fishing and playing pickle ball. He also greatly enjoyed singing, dancing, walking and working out in the gym to keep fit. Tom was an avid fan of the New York Yankees.
Those left to mourn his passing and cherish his memory are his loving wife of 26 years, Melba Jean Laird; daughters: Saralyn Betley and her husband David of Fairfield, NJ, Susan Poland Elzenbeck and her husband Blair of Point Pleasant, NJ, Janice Turner and her husband James of Bedminster, N.J.; stepdaughter: Teresa Mahoney and her husband Kevin of Chesapeake, VA; stepson: Joseph Costello and his wife Monica of Montville, NJ; brother: Louis Laird of Stuart, FL; grandchildren: Jeff Turner and his wife Joanna, Andrew Turner, Renee Turner, Kyle Betley, Bridget Betley, Jeff Poland and Meghan Poland; step-grandchildren: Lauren Mahoney, Kevin Mahoney, Faith Costello and Grace Costello. He also leaves behind many beloved friends in New Jersey, Newbern, N.C. and Inverness, FL. In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by one sister and one brother.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Friday, August 5, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. from St. Scholastica Catholic Church located at 4301 W. Homosassa Trail, Lecanto, FL 34461 with Father Jose Tejado officiating. The family will receive friends in visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. until the hour of service. Internment will take place following the church service at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL where Inverness VFW Post #4337 will render military honors. Afterwards, the Laird family invite friends to join them for a luncheon buffet in the Windsor Room of the Citrus Hills Golf and Country Club at 2:00 p.m. Arrangements are under the direction of the Chas E. Davis Funeral Home with Crematory, Inverness, FL. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Tom’s memory to Hospice of Citrus and the Nature Coast, P.O. Box 641270, Beverly Hills, FL 34464.
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