Lucille V. (Crocker) Laird, 91, of Waltonville died 12:02 a.m. July 9, 2007.

Lucille was born April 10, 1916, in Scheller, the daughter of Claude and Martha Jane (McBride) Crocker.

She was a graduate of the Goode-Barren Township High School.

After working a number of years in Chicago, Lucille married James Howard Laird on Oct. 15, 1939. They lived in northern Illinois and later settled in southern Illinois where they operated a dairy farm for close to fifty years. Howard preceded her in death Oct. 10, 1982.

Funeral services will be held 1p.m. Thursday at Newell Funeral Home in Waltonville. Burial will follow at Knob Prairie Cemetery in Waltonville. Friends may call from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Mrs. Laird is survived by two sons, Jim Laird and wife Sidney of Waltonville, and Marvin Laird and wife Marsha of Chatham; two daughters, Karen and husband Gerald Benjamin of Knoxville, and Donna Knight and Michael Knight of St. Clair, Mo.; two sisters, Kathleen and husband Jesse Ferge and Rosemary Boyd of Colorado; one brother, Frank Crocker and wife Doris of Galesburg; 14 grandchildren, Don Laird and wife Dawn, Alan Laird and wife Renee, Melanie and husband Mike DeSutter, Dan Laird and wife Ann, Chris Laird and wife Isabell, Theresa and husband Curtis Cunningham, Scott Healy and wife Julie, Shane Healy and wife Mindy, Shaun Healy and wife Leslie, Tammy and husband Joe Cato, Amy and husband Walter Nettles, Ann and husband Mike Nott, Brett Benjamin and wife Donna, Kira and husband Jason Long; and she is also survived by 33 great grandchildren and by 2 great great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, one daughter, Barb Healy, wife of Don, and sisters, Claudene Cottom, Margaret Lewis, Florence Crocker and an infant s ister Lois, and two brothers Lester and Donald Crocker.

Lucille was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a member of Home Community Education, the Prairie Historian, a 4-H leader for 40 years, and a member of the Universalist Church Waltonville as well as many other organizations. Lucille was a strong willed person who loved to discuss politics.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Knob Prairie Cemetery and will be accepted at the funeral home. For more information call Newell Funeral Home at 279-7272 or visit online at www.newellfuneralhome.com for on-line obituary and on-line condolences and a memorial tribute video.

Source: The Register-News, Mt. Vernon, IL
Date: July 10, 2007
Submitted by Robert W. Loman