OTISFIELD — Paul E. Laird II, 62, passed at his home Sunday, March 17, 2019, after a long battle with cancer with his loving family by his side.

He was born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on Jan. 27, 1957, the son of Paul Laird and Ellen Myers. Paul graduated from Oxford Hills High School in 1974, and married his high school sweetheart, Victoria Sessions, in January 1977.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1974 to 1978 as a bulldozer operator. During his service he was sent to Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands to clean up nuclear debris. Paul was an advocate for his Enewetak Atoll Clean-Up Veterans group, and worked very hard for years, trying to get these Veterans recognized as Atomic Veterans and get the compensation they all deserved for their exposure to radiation. To this day our government still will not recognize them as Atomic Veterans and, if they ever do, it will come too late for Paul and many others.

After his military service he worked for Cianbro Corp and Pike Industries for 15 years. In 1997, he left their employ to start his family business in Bridgton, Laird’s Family Tire & Service.

He coached youth flag football for Harrison and was a Cub Scout leader, also in Harrison.

He loved his family, the outdoors, hunting, fishing, camping, four-wheeling, and riding his motorcycle but, most of all, the time he spent with his wife and family

Paul is survived by his beloved wife Victoria, of 42 years of marriage; his sons Paul Laird III and his wife Rebecca, and grandchildren, Isabella and Karson, and Joshua Laird and his wife Kayla, and grandchildren, Emma, Anna and Cody; his sisters Margaret and her husband John Leisenring, Linda and her husband William Archer; many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and his many brothers and sisters of the group Enewetak Atoll Clean-Up Veterans Group. He was predeceased by his parents.

Visiting hours will be held from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, April 7, at the Harrison VFW Hall.

A funeral service will follow at 3:30 p.m. Online condolences may be left for the family at hallfuneralhome.net