Clarence H. Laird

A memorial service for Clarence Harlan Laird, age 83, will be held on Tuesday, July 29, at 10:00 AM at First Presbyterian Church Kilgore with Dr. J. Howard Edington officiating with music by Gala Strunk and Bill Holda. Born to Verner William Laird and Mary Frances Johnson Laird on October 15, 1941, in Dallas, Texas, Clarence was the oldest of three children. When he was a small child, the family moved to Kilgore, where Clarence resided the remainder of his life.

Attending Kilgore schools, Clarence was a member of the Kilgore High School class of 1959. He attended Abilene Christian University and Kilgore College. He completed the American Bankers Association school in Norman, Oklahoma.

Clarence began his banking career at East Texas Bank and Trust in Longview. He soon moved to Kilgore National Bank, which later became Kilgore First National Bank. Retiring as Vice-President in charge of compliance, Clarence soon returned to a newly-formed Kilgore National Bank, eventually retiring in 1998.

Clarence was a devoted member of First Presbyterian Church for over fifty years, serving as a deacon, an elder, and the church treasurer for many years. Additionally, he was a faithful member of several committees.

A member of the original Lizzards at Rudy Thrower’s Meadowbrook Gulf Station, Clarence was a pilot, flying solo at seventeen, played golf, raised cattle, enjoyed fishing, gardening, doing yard work, cooking, and watching the Texas Longhorns and the Texas Rangers. A wonderful husband, father, son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, grandfather, and great-grandfather to London, Clarence was looking forward to the birth of Jane Elizabeth in August. Known for his kindness, warmth, hospitality, and great sense of humor, Clarence’s family and many friends will remember him with deep affection.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Libby Terrell Laird, to whom he was married for sixty-one years, his daughters, Laci Laird and husband Tony Hairford of Tyler, Texas, and Lani Laird and husband Carey Blundell of Kilgore. Also surviving are grandson Cade Harlan Laird and wife Kelsey and great granddaughter London Lee Laird, granddaughter Olivia Blundell, sister-in-law, Cheryl Patton Laird, brother-in-law, Bill Terrell and wife Janie, and nephews William Terrell and wife Melissa, Andrew Terrell, Trey Laird and wife Alice, Dr. Clint Laird and wife Janna, Brent Newman and wife Juanita, and Sam Miller, and niece Mary Barnard. He was preceded in death by his son Lance Harlan Laird, his mother and father, brother Verner William Laird II, sister Carole Ann Miller, father-in-law and mother-in-law Dr. Billy Bob and Jane Terrell, and nephews Slade Newman and Nathan Miller.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to First Presbyterian Church Kilgore for camps and conferences or scholarships.