Laird Wheeler Hastay

Laird Wheeler Hastay, beloved son of Millard and Helen (Wheeler) Hastay, was born Feb. 5, 1946, in New York City. Surrounded by family, he died of natural causes Saturday, June 25, 2022, at his home in Forest Grove, Ore.

In New York City, he attended Collegiate School, thought to be the oldest school in the United States, until 12 years of age. In 1958, Laird moved with his parents and younger brother to Pullman. As a graduating member of the Pullman High School class of 1964, he was active in student government, serving on the student council and multiple terms as class president. The only four-year letterman in his class, Laird was an exceptional track athlete and excelled in both the 440 and 880. He made lasting friendships while in Pullman and always looked forward to the PHS class reunions. He attended Oberlin College in Ohio, and graduated with a bachelor’s in history. In his senior year, he met and later married his classmate, Ellen Terry. After living in Oregon and New Mexico, they returned to Pullman, where he obtained a master’s from Washington State University, specializing in adult education. He enjoyed a varied career, primarily teaching basic reading and writing skills to beginning college students and students for whom English was a second language. In Albion he designed and, with the assistance of family members, owned and built the family home where he and Ellen raised their daughters, Johanna Hastay and Rachel Hastay.

He was a lifelong advocate and accomplished activist for political, humanitarian and economic justice. His activism included work with The Coalition for Central America, whose efforts helped bring an earlier end to the Civil War in El Salvador in the early 1990s. Other passions included folk dancing, world travel, teaching himself and playing the guitar, and spending endless blissful hours sailing his small boats in Puget Sound and local lakes near his home in Oregon. He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered for his thoughtfulness, perceptive insight, selflessness, intellect, compassion, solid advice and support, generous nature, quirky humor and above all, love for his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Ellen; daughters, Johanna and Rachel; brother, Drew Hastay; sister-in-law, Priscilla Hastay; nieces, Andrea Hastay and Allison Lefebvre and her husband, Bryce Lefebvre; and great nephews and niece, Weston, Miles, Caleb and Juliette Lefebvre. His extended family includes a clan of cherished cousins across many generations who live all over the Pacific Northwest, Canada, Alaska and Europe.