Obituary: Paul Alan Laird

May 3, 1966 - Nov. 1, 2013

Paul Alan Laird passed away at his home on November 1, 2013 after a two- year battle with brain cancer. Paul was born at Carson Tahoe Hospital on May 3, 1966 and attended Carson City schools, graduating from Carson High School and from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology.

Paul was married to Brenda Schroeder Laird for 18 years. Brenda was Paul’s best friend and soul mate, and they shared a great love for the many animals in their life. At the time of his passing they had three dogs, a cat and seven horses. The cat, Garth, slept on Paul’s bed during his last days and the dogs were always at his side.

Upon graduating from college, Paul took a position at the Northern Nevada Medical Center laboratory in Sparks, Nevada. He worked there until 2004, at which time he accepted a position at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center (CTRMC). His career at CTRMC began as the Laboratory Manager and ended as Director of Clinical Services. He was well known throughout the hospital for his dedication, humor and smile. He loved the hospital and its many employees, and they returned that love many times over.

Paul had a wide range of interests and accomplishments. When younger, he enjoyed raising prize-winning Suffolk sheep, chickens and a very ugly and hilarious pygmy goat. In his teens he became a member of Carson City’s Volunteer Fire Department. He earned his pilot license in his teens and completed flight school in Los Angeles. He went on to become a licensed flight instructor, and taught many local enthusiasts how to fly. While working full time and teaching flying, Paul and a friend started two successful businesses. Paul also found time to learn to play a guitar, speak passable Spanish, bake and cook, paint in oils and water colors, ride horses competitively, run marathons, and rebuild and sell Aladdin Hurricane lamps. He even developed his own home plating process to refurbish the metal parts of the lamps.

Paul loved to hunt. He enjoyed hunting big game as well as game birds and had hunted twice in South America. He tramped across many hills and mountains in Nevada in search for the elusive chucker. His love for hunting was only surpassed by his love to hunt with his friends and his hunting dog Maggie.

Paul was an accomplished sporting clays shooter. He competed on a national level, had earned a masters ranking and was a National Sporting Clays Association Certified Instructor. He was active at the Carson City Gun Club, serving on the board of directors and as president. Later he and his friends went on to build and run the Battle Born Sporting Clays and Shooting School in Lyon County.

Paul is survived by his wife, Brenda; his parents, Roger and Jean Laird; a sister, Cheryl Macy (Jason); his niece, Rosalind and nephew, Sawyer; his father and mother in-laws, Ken and Judy Schroeder and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Paul’s family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Paul Laird Memorial Fund in care of the Carson Tahoe Health Foundation , PO Box 2168, Carson City, NV 89702 (775-445-5161). The fund will be used for medical educational opportunities for local students.

Services, under direction of Walton’s Chapel of the Valley, will be held at the Capital Christian Center, 1600 Snyder Ave., Carson City, NV on Tuesday, November 12, 2013, at 11 am. A celebration of life and lunch reception will immediately follow the services at a place to be announced at the services.