Jeffrey Allan Laird

Jeffrey Allan Laird passed away on December 26, 2023, at Longhorn Village in Austin, Texas, where he had lived for the past several years with his wife of 45 years, Flo Laird. Jeff died peacefully after a year-and-a-half long battle with ALS.

Jeff was born in Summit, N.J. on December 11, 1946. He received a B.A. degree from Rutgers University, then was commissioned as a Captain in the U.S. Army, where he served on the General's staff at the Army HQ for Europe in Heidelberg, Germany. After his military service, Jeff earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, which became his much-loved adopted hometown for many decades. It was in Chicago that Jeff met Florence (Flo) Anne, née Zucker, whom he married in 1978.

Jeff had a long and storied career in industrial real estate development and brokerage in Chicago, first with a number of established firms, then via his own business, Laird & Co., which he founded in 1989. Jeff possessed unbounded knowledge and enthusiasm for finding and repurposing older industrial and commercial properties in Chicago's North Side neighborhoods. His passion for the topic was truly infectious.

Jeff brought that same enthusiasm to the built environment of New Mexico when he and Flo relocated in 2006 to "Hacienda Laird," a Modernist Adobe house southeast of Albuquerque that Jeff designed. In 2022, they moved to Longhorn Village in Austin to be closer to family.

Jeff was also an avid art collector, photographer, and sculptor. He won First in PHOTO New Mexico 2010 at Matrix Fine Art, Albuquerque. His art was exhibited at the Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Fe; The South Broadway Cultural Center, Albuquerque; and ART Santa Fe. His excitement about contemporary art rubbed off on everyone in his family and circle of friends and acquaintances.

In addition to his wife, Flo, Jeff is survived by his brothers, Jed and John; his stepchildren, Jack and Bill Hohengarten and Helen Becker; four step-grandchildren; and four step-great-grandchildren. Jeff especially appreciated the artwork of the youngest generation, as shown in the picture here where he is admiring a hand-drawn birthday card from 6-year-old Freyja. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

A memorial reception will be held from 2:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon of January 30 in the Forty Acres Room at Longhorn Village, 12501 Longhorn Parkway, Austin, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Chinati Foundation (chinati.org), which oversees contemporary art installations in Marfa, Texas, a project dear to Jeff's heart.