11/03/2026
Loren Edward Laird
“When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” — The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Loren Edward Laird, a larger-than-life figure known for his quick wit, adventurous spirit, and fierce devotion to his family, passed away on October 31, 2026, at the age of 84.
Born July 19, 1942, in the Worland Hospital (housed in the old library), Loren was the fourth of five children born to Russell and Florence Laird. He grew up on the Laird family farm, which his grandfather, Leroy Laird, originally homesteaded. An athletic and brilliant young man, Loren took first place at the state wrestling tournament and helped lead his football team to the 1959 State Championship, which the Worland High School Hall of Fame honored in 2026 alongside his lifelong friends and teammates.
After graduating from Worland High School in 1960, Loren attended the University of Wyoming and Casper College to wrestle, intending to pursue a degree in English Literature. From 1963 to 1966, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a radio operator in Germany, where his brothers David and Gene were also stationed. When he returned home, he farmed alongside his brothers. During this era, Loren could often be found driving his silver Corvette up and down Main Street, attempting to beat the two red lights; legend has it he once led the police all the way back to the farm, where his mother Florence opened the door and immediately asked, “What did he do now?”
Loren soon met the love of his life, Elaine Vilos, whose family owned and operated the Ram’s Horn Café. Captivated by her beauty, he always said she looked just like his own Sophia Loren. They were married in 1970 in a Greek Orthodox ceremony at the Episcopal church, followed by a legendary reception at the old community center that people talked about for years.
The couple moved to Laramie, where Loren earned a degree in Political Science from the University of Wyoming, choosing the major simply because he was told it was difficult. True to his deep love of literature and storytelling, Loren was rarely seen without a book in hand and was an avid film enthusiast, even driving his Corvette down to Casper just to meet John Wayne during filming of “Hellfighters” in 1968. He was a prolific journaler who poured his imagination into writing several unpublished novels until Parkinson’s made writing difficult. In his later years, when print became hard to read, he seamlessly transitioned to audiobooks to sustain his lifelong reading habits, while continuing to quote classical poetry and lines from his favorite classic westerns.
Returning to Worland, Loren and Elaine welcomed their daughters, Christina and Margie, while living in town. Known for his lifelong dedication to fitness, Loren recruited athletes to come across the street to lift weights with him in his garage, which was for years the popular place to hang out, and he won several powerlifting competitions. After running a local lumber business, Loren moved back out to the Laird farm in 1979, where he and Elaine welcomed daughters Sarah and Mary.
An avid marksman and trapshooter, Loren spent countless hours in his breezeway, where he enjoyed reloading bullets, smoking ci**rs, and drinking coffee while welcoming friends and family who stopped by to chat, share advice, and just spend time together. He also had a cannon and loved to shoot it at football games or early in the morning to wake everyone up. In the 1990s, he worked for the city and later found his true calling as the Superintendent of the Golf Course, earning a certificate from The Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School after a rigorous two-year program in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
A man of deep faith, Loren was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church in Worland, where his family were founding members and where he served faithfully as an elder, deacon, and church leader over the years. It was deeply important to him that his family joined him for service; he would go pick up his grandkids and bring them along, and he was always the first to be ready and waiting on his four daughters and then grandchildren. One of his favorite contributions was reading a poem to the congregation on Sundays.
Over the years, Loren trained dogs, raised sheep, hogs, chickens, and maintained a vibrant garden, even convincing the directors at his assisted living facility to let him grow tomatoes. Among his beloved animals was a Nubian goat, Billy, who joined Loren and his dogs on daily walks and was occasionally mistaken for a small horse. In his later years, one of his favorite things to do was drive his Gator around the farm. Over the past year, he resided in assisted living in Casper, continuing to touch the lives of those around him with his stories, warm humor, and enduring spirit.
Loren was a master storyteller, a man who loved to sing, dance, and quote classic literature. Above all, he was the beloved patriarch of his family, and his legacy lives on through his children, grandchildren, and the many lives he touched.
Loren was preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Florence Laird; his siblings Julie Wortham, David Laird, Eugene Laird, and Penny Carroll; his beloved wife of 50 years, Elaine Vilos Laird; brothers-in-law Chris Vilos Jr., Frank Vilos, Donald Wortham, and John Carroll; and sister-in-law Mary Laird.
He is survived by his daughters Christina Laird-Rogers (husband Jon Rogers), Margaret Laird, Sarah Staley (husband Jason Staley), and Mary Florence Laird; his grandchildren Gage Rogers, Katherine Rogers (fiancé Riley Dye), Owen Kern (Hayley Wagner), Mable Goodman (husband Michael Goodman), Evalina Staley, and Henry Staley; expected great-grandson, Waylon Kern, as well as many loving nieces, nephews, and friends.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM, Thursday, November 12, 2026 at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Worland. Burial will follow at Riverview Memorial Gardens Cemetery with the United States Army and American Legion providing Military Honors. Visitation for family and friends will be held 6:00 PM Wednesday evening at the Bryant Funeral Home Chapel. Memorial donations may be made to the Washakie Museum and Cultural Center or the Worland Senior Center. Please send checks to PO Box 524 Worland, Wyoming 82401. Online condolences may be made at www.bryantfuneralhomeonline.com.
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