DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Frances I. Laird, 81, of Davenport died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2001, at Genesis Medical Center-West Campus in Davenport, following an extended illness.

A Funeral Mass will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Burial will be at Conesville Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the church.

Mrs. Laird was born Feb. 20, 1920, in Conesville, the daughter of Charles A. and Agnes Boyd Swails. She married Byron Laird June 16, 1940. He preceded her in death March 17, 1998.

She was a member of Sacred Heart Cathedral and served was past president of the Altar & Rosary Society, she was a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader, and active in the Sacred Heart School PTA.

She managed the school lunch program for many years. She also managed St. Vincent Center food service until her retirement.

She enjoyed family, food, and flowers.

Survivors include daughters, Margaret 'Peg' Hunn and husband, Marvin, of Muscatine, Mary Beavers and husband, Alan, of Landisville, Penn., Paula Raney and husband, Steve, of Bettendorf and Priscilla Askren and husband, Michael, of Stewart; sons, Charles Laird and wife, Mary, of Cincinnati, Ohio and Joseph Laird and wife, Kathy, of Bettendorf; grandchildren, Hope Goss, Christopher and Jonathan Beavers, Steven and Sean Raney, Mikayla and John Askren, Elizabeth and Emily Laird, Kathleen and James Laird; great-grandchildren, Hallie and Erin Goss and Daniel Laird; a sister, Winifred Gaylor of Phoenix, Ariz.; and a brother, James Swails and wife, Betty, of Slidell, La.

She was preceded in death by her husband; a son, PFC James B. Laird Feb. 28, 1966; and brothers, Howard, Harley and Roy Swails