Mary Josephine Filliger Laird
Daughter of Arthur and Mary Filliger, Swiss immigrants who settled in the Lewis and Clark area. After attending Lewis and Clark Consolidated Grade School, she graduated from St. Mary's Star of the Sea High School in 1940. While in high school, she worked at the Bumble Bee Seafood cannery. She won a trip to the national 4-H conference in Detroit in 1940, and a four-year college scholarship in home economics. In 1941, she and her sister sponsored the Filliger Girls Trophy, a traveling trophy awarded to the outstanding Clatsop County 4-H female in home economics each year.
She attended Oregon State University, and received a bachelor's degree in home economics in 1944. Then she went to school in Detroit to become a registered dietitian.
On Jan. 8, 1945, she married Charles E. Laird. He preceded her in death Nov. 7, 1990.
Mrs. Laird was self-employed, owning a custom drapery business for more than 40 years. She installed her custom-made draperies in many homes and businesses in the Clatsop County area. Family members said she enjoyed traveling and was an avid game player. For years, she enjoyed playing bridge and became a Grand Master. While living at the Clatsop Retirement Village, she also enjoyed calling bingo, playing pinochle, rap and bunko.
Mrs. Laird is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Mary L. and Charles Briggs of Tigard, Elizabeth A. and Tim O'Brien of Portland and Patricia L. and Steve Hawk of Big Lake, Alaska; three sons and two daughters-in-law, Richard D. and Janne Laird of Vancouver, Wash., Donald E. Laird of Astoria and Mike and Margie Laird of Seaside; eight grandchildren, Todd Briggs of Aloha, Jeff Briggs and his wife, Shalome, of Meadow Vista, Calif., Shanti Shoji of Washington, D.C., Angela O'Brien of N. Hollywood, Calif., Christy and Leah Hawk of Big Lake and Amanda and Justin Laird of Seaside; seven step-grandchildren, Jill Briggs and her husband, Nawaf Farhat, and Traci Briggs, all of Beaverton, Amber and April Williams and Aimee Gonzales and her husband, Andrew, all of Vancouver, Jason Thayer of Eugene and Crystal Thayer of Lake Oswego; four great-grandchildren; Max, Smith, Wyatt and Molly Briggs of Meadow Vista; a brother and sister-in-law, Arthur and Ardith Filliger of Astoria; a sister, Lorraine Ewing of Carmel, Calif.; two nieces, Jan Morrison of Warrenton and Kelly Kinkead of Medford; and five nephews, Bill Fuller and his wife, Julie, of Seattle, Father Jon Fuller of Boston, Jeff Fuller of Boulder, Colo., Greg Filliger and his wife, Sue, of Seaside and Scott Filliger of Warrenton.