Duncan Laird, Jr., age 89, of Lebanon, formerly of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, died at 5:50 p.m. Sunday, April 4, 2010 at Faith Care Center in Highland. He was born March 6, 1921 In Grangemouth, Scotland, the son of the late Duncan Laird, Sr. and Emily Jane Tucker Laird. He married Harriet A. Uphoff. She preceded him in death in 1984.
He is survived by a daughter, Sandy (Jim) Perkins of Lebanon, and a son, Duncan B. Laird of Belleville; 2 grandchildren: Laird Stuart Perkins of Lebanon and Duncan Peirce Perkins of Ocean Springs, Mississippi; and a sister, Sara Stubbings of New Bern, North Carolina.
Mr. Laird was raised on Long Island, New York and spent 35 years and 8 months in the Panama Canal Zone as a Civil Service employee of the United States Air Force. He functioned in various positions during his Air Force service, from General Apprentice to General Superintendent of Aircraft Maintenance Shops and retired as a member of the Staff of the Chief of Maintenance and the Chief of the Quality Control Branch. He was the recipient of the Air Force Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service. He retired from Air Force Civil Service in July of 1976. He and his wife then moved to their retirement home in Ocean Springs where he was employed at Ingall's Shipyard for 5 years before his final retirement.
Mr. Laird was a Navy veteran of WW II, Past Master and Past Secretary of Darian Lodge A.F. & A.M., a 32 Degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. He served as Secretary, Senior Grand Warden, Lecturer and Deputy District Grand Master of the Canal Zone District Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. He was also a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
Always one to preach “moderation in all things”, he was nonetheless a man of passion; first and foremost for order, for model railroading, for target shooting, and for all animals, but in particular, cats. He could fix just about anything, and built much of his own furniture, including a grandfather’s clock.
According to his wishes, his remains were cremated. Private interment of his ashes will be held at Findlay Community Cemetery in Findlay, Illinois at a later date. Memorials may be given to the Alzheimer's Association.

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