J. Packard Laird ’42

Packy, an innovative engineer and later in life a minister and spiritual leader, died Mar. 23, 2003, at home in Santa Fe, N.Mex. He attended Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Va. At Princeton, Packy majored in mechanical engineering. His senior thesis on motorcycle dynamics won the top undergraduate award of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He was a member of Tower Club and our famous "Dog Patch" gang in 1901 Hall. In 1944 he married Frances S. Swan; they had three children.

After two years as ensign in the special devices division of the Navy, Packy joined DuPont, where he was one of the early pioneers in the applications and development of analog computers. He won several awards for his inventions.

Following early retirement in 1971, Packy, to the amazement of many of his friends and classmates, trained as a minister and spiritual healer. For 30 years he taught homeopathy, herbology, and alternative therapies. He and his second wife, Margie (who predeceased him), founded the Love Healing Group in Wilmington, and were affiliated with the I AM sanctuaries in Philadelphia and Santa Fe and with spiritual healers in the Philippines.

To his wife, Nicole Serpe Laird; his children, Tillie Brown, Frances Johnson '80, and Clinton; and six grandchildren, the class expresses its condolences.

The Class of 1942