Obituary of Richard Laidlaw

Richard "Dick" E. Laidlaw

Dick was born in Indianapolis, IN, November 14, 1939, and passed away March 17, 2025, age 85, after a valiant struggle with cancer.  He is survived by partner, Dawn Wilkins; children, William (Kim) Laidlaw, Kenneth Laidlaw, Douglas Laidlaw, and Margaret (Jason) Day; grandchildren, Caleb Day, Liam, Lucy and Jack Laidlaw, and siblings, Robert (Bob) Laidlaw, Mary Laidlaw Armstrong, John Laidlaw, and Betty Laidlaw Hardin.  Dick is predeceased by his parents, Lawrence and Katherine, brothers, Tom and Jim and Dawn's parents, Edwin & Betty Wilkins. 

Dick held a real estate broker's license, with degrees from Indiana University in business administration and Purdue University in Industrial Supervision as well as additional graduate work done in business and education. Dick experienced 25 years in the hospitality industry in various capacities. He was program chair for Hospitality Management at Indiana Vocational Technical College and state wide curriculum director.  He was the eastern US coordinator for TAPS (a contractor for JTPS) and managed groups in Philadelphia, Chicago, Rochester, Buffalo, McKeesport Pennsylvania(Pittsburg) ,Newark, NJ, Omaha Nebraska, Fayetteville, NC and Tulsa Oklahoma. The job placement rate was 95% with average class size of 30 students. 

In semi-retirement, Dick did volunteer work at the Monroe Correctional Facility and Monroe County Jail with men, women and youth. Dick initiated Scouts beyond bars for children whose parents are incarcerated as a way to provide structure to the parents and youth affected by incarceration. As a continuation of the jail work, Dick volunteered his time and talent for RAWNY (Reentry Association of Western New York.He also volunteered with a local Boy Scout Troop 77 and with a Fairport Central Schools program, Listening Post. Dick was a US Navy veteran and served on the USS Suribachi, a munitions ship.

The family requests no flowers.  Please consider a donation in his memory to Reentry Association of WNY (RAWNY),186-188 N. Water Street, Rochester, NY 14604
Attention: Yari Rivera

OR 

Isaiah House (hospice),1005 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607

A celebration of Dick's life will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, 11:00 a.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 1130 Webster Road, Webster, NY.  Please wear happy colors as we celebrate a wonderful life.

Dick's service will livestreamed. Please join us from home using the link below.

Livestream Link