SMITH ISLAND, MD – The Smith Island and Crisfield communities are in mourning after the passing of Larry Laird, the 78-year-old captain of the Jason 2 ferry. For 35 years, Captain Laird served as the lifeline between Smith Island and the mainland, bringing supplies and connection to the island's residents.
Laird, who passed away this Wednesday, was remembered by friends and neighbors as more than a skilled captain. He was a man with a larger-than-life personality and an even bigger heart.
Mary Ada Marshall, a lifelong friend from Tylerton, shared, “When you think of Larry, you think of a smile. You think of friendly—he could get off easily, but yet, he was mellow as could be. He had a big heart in him, and he really looked out for the people here in Tylerton.”
"I just loved him so much as a friend." Marshall said.
Friends we spoke with say Laird’s mornings began at Gordons in Crisfield, where he would share conversation with friends. Sterling Clough, his friend since ninth grade, said, “If you didn’t like Larry, you didn’t like nobody. Every morning I’d come in here and kiss him on his bald head and he said, ‘Must be Sterling here!’ He was always my buddy. Great friend to everyone, help you if he could help you.”
In Tylerton, friends say Laird’s daily routine included stopping by a waterfront spot where neighbors gathered everyday,
Lindsey Bradshaw recalled, “Every day we’d come here on the corner, wait for Larry to get here, he’d bring us the Crisfield news, and we’d just look forward to that every day. We’d just spend a couple hours here every day, and we’ve been doing that for years. We’re just gonna miss him.”
He added, “I don’t want to take no disrespect from anyone that’s ever passed from here or gonna pass, but Larry’s impact is gonna have a big impact on Tylerton. I don’t think anyone would have the impact Larry’s gonna have.”
Captain Larry Laird leaves behind a legacy of kindness, connection, and community spirit that will not be forgotten by the islanders he served so faithfully.
