Judith Laird

Judith was an Egalitarian traversing two modern day Centuries and five generations of family, culture, politics, business practices and World scenarios. She embraced Beauty as a way of life. She enjoyed sharing finery in food and comfort. More, she was graceful in her natural generosity, discretely providing for others. An Intuitive, Judith’s intellect was perceptive, silent, sharp, listening, and respectful. Her to-the-bone honesty with herself enriched her imperative style. That same honesty maintained her unwavering depth of commitment to validate and support, forgive and apologize, and always rejoin with the other in peace.

Judith had many creatures she tended and brought into her heart. She cared exquisitely for some of the most blessed dogs and cats in the Universe including Sheba, Quigley, Paulo, Bodhi, and died with CoCo lying comfortably over her heart.

A lover of all music including Opera,Yanni, Classical, Electronic, Folk and others, she held a special place for the work of Rebecca Folsom, a local musician, artist and friend. She read and wrote poetry and otherwise-untold stories of her own. From her favorite poet, Mary Oliver, she especially loved “The Journey” and “In Black Water Woods.” Among her other loved works were “On Death” by Kahlil Gibran, and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi and Alice Walker. Her life work outside of family was with Coming Full Circle, through hospital work with Therapy dog Quigley, as a Hospice Volunteer, a Contemplative Counselor, a savvy Business Owner, and many times over a Benefactress.

Judith’s boundless Spiritual trek brought her through America’s Southland, Machu Picchu, the Amazon, New York’s Dai Bosatstu Zen Monastery, the Rocky Mountains, the Pacific waters, and places beyond and in between. She was a survivor; fearless in pursuit of her freedom. She pursued studying in disciplines including Catholicism, Shamanism, Rinzai Zen Buddhism and Psychology. She applied a fierce honesty in turning the inner mirror to herself.

She brought wise counsel to unhesitating action. Her love of the wind and snow was practice toward the way she stood to her waning years and hereditary conditions. She met each new turn the same as she met her joy, and then her death: steadfast, responsible and face-on-embracing deeply letting go, giving example to Gibran’s words,“…what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind...And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides…?”

Born February 12, 1940, Judith Laird was the daughter of Trella and James Laird. She married Jimmy Bryant, now deceased, and with Jimmy had daughters Dawn (deceased) and Gigi (Joey) who lives in Kentucky. Her grandsons Harrison and Quinton, sister Jamie (Richard), nieces Amanda, Erin, Mary Catherine, Aubrey, and nephew Mark also survive her.

Vigil in the Rinzai Zen Buddhist tradition began immediately upon death. Funeral services were held the evening of June 5, 2017, at Longmont’s Howe Mortuary, prior to cremation.

No further memorial is planned at this time.

Judith lived her life and passed on from within this Invocation:

May we extend this Heart

Over the Whole Universe

So that we, and all beings together,

May attain maturity

In Buddha’s wisdom.

Special gratitude from Judith to all.

Those who wish may contribute in honor of Judith Laird to the Animal Shelter of their choosing and/or to Boulder Morningstar Zen Center, PO Box 294, Boulder, CO 80306;

http://www.bouldermorningstarzencenter.com/contact/

written by: Dwariko Connaghan