Walter Jones Laird Jr. ’48

Walt died on Mar. 15. He served on many boards including those of Tower Hill School, St. Andrew's School, Delaware Trust Co., and the Catholic Diocese of Delaware. He was chair of the board of the Winterthur Museum and presided over its expansion and revitalization. He was a senior v.p. of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.

Walt was a graduate of Episcopal H.S. in Alexandria, Va. At Princeton he rowed 150-pound crew, was in Orange Key, the Flying Club, and was a member of Colonial Club. He was in the navy from 1944-46 and graduated with honors in chemical engineering.

Walt went on to MIT for two years for an MS and subsequent employment by duPont until 1968. At that point he entered the brokerage business and its free-wheeling environment with Laird, Bissell and Meads, which in 1973 merged with Dean Witter. He was active in business until the end of his life.

Walt served as pres. of the Wilmington Club and was a member of the Chevaliers du Tastevin. He always maintained that he did "the smartest thing in my life when I married Toni Bissell." This was in 1951.

Walt is survived by Toni, sons David, Ian, Philip, Jay, and Stephen, and daughter Emily. He was adored as "Big Bear" by his nine grandchildren.

The Class of 1948