James David "J.D." Laird

James David “J.D.” Laird passed away at his home near Groesbeck with his family by his side on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at age 78.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Victory Baptist Church near Groesbeck on Thursday, May 29th, at 1 PM.

J.D. was born August 22, 1946, to Ira T. Laird and Mattie (O’Quinn) Laird in Saratoga, Texas. He grew up there and graduated from West Hardin High School in 1965.

J. D. volunteered for the U. S. Air Force and served from 1965 through 1970. He served during the Viet Nam war and was in instrumentation. He flew flights over Viet Nam from Okinowa, and then served at other bases, including Turkey, until his honorable discharge as a Staff Sergeant.

J.D.’s first marriage provided a stepson and son. Both boys grew up playing baseball in Sweeny and he coached one of their teams each year for about 15 years. When they weren’t on a baseball field, he was usually spending time working on their property, tending to their garden or the various animals they raised. During those years, there were many vacations with the family of his lifelong friend at Lake Somerville. He enjoyed teaching the boys about camping, fishing and waterskiing.

J.D. met Dixie Byrd in Sweeny in 1987, and they were united in marriage on September 3, 1988 in Sweeny. They made their home in that area and he worked for the Phillips 66 Company for more than thirty years before retiring. In addition to his career, Four Forks Farm Beefmasters, a cattle operation was started. Dixie had been raised on a ranch and J. D.’s interest began when his brother-in-law gave him a Beefmaster calf when he was in high school. When he retired, they were looking for more land so they could increase their Beefmaster ranch and purchased land near Groesbeck, where they moved in 2002. As well as raising their cattle, he enjoyed working on his bulldozer clearing the many acres of mesquite, which was a never-ending job.

J.D. was active in the East Texas/Louisiana Beefmaster Marketing Group, where he served on the Board, then as President and Vice President. He and Dixie attended many of the BBU activities and sales. He helped organize the Heart of Texas Beefmaster sale in Groesbeck, held at the Limestone County Fairgrounds, for 5 years.

He believed that family is the reason we’re here. J. D. said “learning to love and share makes each of us better and both are what makes a family. ... Grandchildren really show us the greatest value of family.”

J.D. and Dixie were members of the Victory Baptist Church in Groesbeck, and he especially enjoyed the Sunday School Class. After his diagnosis of cancer in 2019, he remained active in his cattle operation until the past few months.

J.D. was preceded in death by his parents, Ira and Mattie Laird; stepson, Kevin Nettles; and 7 sisters and 1 brother.

He is survived by his wife, Dixie Laird; son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Stephanie Laird of Spring; stepdaughter, Tammy Stanford of Waco; stepson, Paul Byrd and his wife, Michelle of Allen; granddaughters, Kylie Laird of Spring, Mikayla Henry and husband Nate of Thornton, Jade Laird and fiancé Joseph Winkler of Corinth, Alaina Stanford of Waco; and grandsons, Sloan Laird of Spring and Aiden Byrd of Allen. He is also survived by 3 sisters, Melba Goode of Damon, Betty Irby of Mount Belvieu, and Cathy Hoke of Kountze; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity or organization of your choice or to Victory Baptist Church, P.O. Box 685, Groesbeck, TX 76642