When people remembered Renee Laird this past week, a smile came into their voices. Everyone who was contacted to speak on behalf of Laird, who died December 3 in Nanaimo, remembered a fond, happy story about the woman, who for three decades led St. Albert's Recreation Department before eventually retiring as its director.
"Renee Laird was quintessential St. Albert. She was a lively woman – I would say a Renaissance woman – who was involved in so many things. Renee bridged the gap for St. Albert from a small town to St. Albert as a city," said Richard Plain, who was mayor during some of the years when Laird worked for St. Albert.
Renee Laird was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Oct. 17, 1920. During the Second World War she worked as a volunteer for the British Armed Forces and in 1949 married Fred, who had fought in the war with the British Airborne. In 1957 the couple and their two children Stephen and Margaret, moved to St. Albert. Soon afterwards Renee began working for the Town of St. Albert.
"She had no real training but she talked her way into working for the town in the recreation department," her daughter Margaret said.
Renee's work meant she was in charge of outdoor facilities such as the Grosvenor pool, outdoor rinks and soccer fields. She worked for various mayors over the years, and sometimes helped them write their speeches, recalled co-worker John Beedle, who for a time was the parks director when Renee worked in the recreation department.
"I know she applied and got the job right away. Her personality had a lot to do with her getting it. And when it came to protocol, for example when the governor-general came for a visit, she knew the right way to set things up and how to organize the speeches, " Beedle recalled,
"She was the go-to lady when it came to organizing events and activities and that was the way for three decades. Renee knew St. Albert inside and out and she was the perfect interface between city hall and the community," Plain said.
While Beedle and Plain remembered the business-side of Renee, they also recalled her fun side as well as her feistiness.
"She was fun-loving. When there was a party – say at Christmas – at the old Club Mocombo, she'd dance with everyone," Beedle said.
"She would stick up for her causes and those causes were for the ordinary citizen as well as for recreation and the arts. There wasn't just one dimension to Renee Laird. There were many," Plain said.
Renee was an actress as well as a dedicated city employee, and Beedle recalled how she could act the part of an old person, even in her younger years.
"With her you always saw the funny side of things. She used to joke with us all the time, and when she acted in the Walterdale Theatre plays in Edmonton, she often played the part of an elderly lady. She'd put on a shawl or something, and she was transformed," Beedle said.
Renee retired from the city when she turned 65 and then continued to work as an actress by playing roles in television commercials and reading plays on the CBC.
"I remember flipping channels one time, and I recognized Mom's hands in a commercial. She was also in a full-page spread for Telus and she read Irish stories on CBC," her daughter recalled.
Before moving to Nanaimo about five years ago, Renee travelled with her friend Babs Purin and together they visited Mexico, Switzerland and Bermuda.
"Travelling with her was sometimes a real scream because she was an extrovert and a lot of fun. She was the one who would be dancing on the table or the one in a garden raid or riding on a moped. Imagine this staid-looking Irish senior riding a moped," Purin said.
Beedle believes Renee Laird's contributions as an employee for the city as well as a volunteer with such groups as the senior citizens’ centre, the St. Albert Historical Society and the St. Albert Curling Club should be recognized.
"She developed the arts in St. Albert and set the policies at quite a high level. She didn't just do a job. She was involved in everything and then she saw that what was done, was done in the best way that it could be," he said.
Plain agreed as he explained that Renee always had the ordinary people in mind when decisions were made.
"She had a feel for the grassroots of St. Albert and she always remembered the affordability issue," he said.
Renee Laird was predeceased by her husband Frederick in 1972 and is survived by her daughter Margaret, son Stephen (Ruth) and grandchildren Sarah, Eve, and Ross. Her family has planned a private service in Nanaimo. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Nanaimo Loaves and Fishes – Hamperville, 1009 Farquhar Street, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2G2.
