Leonard "Curly" Laird, age 81, of Fulton, SD died June 13, 2016 at his home in rural Fulton. Memorial services will be 10:30 AM Monday at the Will Funeral Chapel. Visitation will be Sunday from 6 to 8 PM at the Will Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in the Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Mitchell.

Leonard Eugene (Curly) Laird was born on November 17, 1934 to Raymond Harney Laird and Hazel Beatrice (Smith) Laird in Mitchell SD.  He attended Plano School where he enjoyed playing basketball among other sports.

L eonard married Elayne Mae Lunders on April 10, 1953 at the Catholic Rectory in Mitchell SD.  After High School, Leonard and Elayne moved to Denver Colorado where he apprenticed as a carpenter.  While in Denver, they expanded their family to include 3 children:  2 sons and a daughter.    In 1958, they moved back to South Dakota to be near his family.   They settled on a farm near Plano School and across the section from his sister Bev and her family.

Leonard was a carpenter on the new Hormel Plant outside of Mitchell.  After the plant was built, he was hired on full time and where he continued to work until the plant closed in the 70's.

Leonard's family continued to grow with the addition of a second daughter and another son.

Leonard continued to support all the local basketball teams and enjoyed watching the tournaments at the Corn Palace.  He was active in the Moose Lodge and supported his children through the various 4H clubs and activities.  The one sport that Leonard really enjoyed for most of his life was bowling.   He could be found one or more times a week at the Village Bowl in Mitchell.   He also enjoyed hunting with his friends and family for pheasant, geese, deer, antelope and other game.

Leonard was preceded in death by his wife Elayne, his brother-in-law Leonard Rowley and his parents.

He is survived by one sister Beverly Rowley of Fulton, SD, one brother, Wayne and wife Connie of Mitchell, SD; 5 children, Wayne and wife Leeota of Scio, OR, Jeffrey of Centennial, CO, Ginger Patera and husband John of St Joseph, MI, Kathleen Malekzadeh and husband Nabi of Eugene, OR and Bradley and wife Mary of Lakewood CO; nine grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.