Angie Laird, 23

Angie Marie Laird, 23, of Mountain Home, died Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2003.

A viewing for Angie will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 1, from 5-8 p.m. at Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m. at Mountain View Cemetery, Mountain Home. Arrangements are under the direction of Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel.

Angie was born on Sept. 9, 1980, in Redding, Calif. She was born deaf and with Down Syndrome. Though severely retarded and unable to speak or sign, she made a tremendous impact on all who knew her, her family noted.

She attended Monte Vista School for special needs children from 1983-1989.

From 1989-1991, she lived at Beal Air Force Base, Calif., then from 1991-1993 at Mountain Home AFB.

In May of 1993, Angie's father received orders to Okinawa, Japan, where there were no available services for Angie. Her family noted that "Angie was carefully placed into the loving care of Jan Ford, where for the next 9 years, she formed a loving bond with Jan and her children, Sean and Jaime."

She returned to the home of her parents in Mountain Home in November 2002 and began developmental training at Community Partnerships. She has since formed many friendships both at Community Partnerships and in the community.

Angie is survived by: her parents, GiGi Roark and Scott Roark; a brother, Corey, all of Mountain Home; Jan Ford who was Angie's "mother" from 1993-2002;,and Sean and Jaime, whom she loved as brother and sister, all of Emmett,; grandmother Judy Akins of Vale, Ore.; great-grandmother June Brown of Vale; grandfathers Gene Stephenson of Redding, Calif., and Bill Roark of Meridian, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Angie was preceded in death by her grandmother, Dori Roark.

Memorial contributions may be made to Faith Lutheran School, 1190 N. 6th East St., Mountain Home, ID 83647, or Community Partnerships, 140 Bitterbrush, Mountain Home, ID 83647.