Charles “Dwain” Laird, 94, of Shelbyville passed away Sunday, September 22, at Heritage House of Shelbyville.

Dwain graduated in 1943 from Waldron High School. He was a member of Mount Pisgah Baptist Church since 1942, on August 13, 2006 he was ordained as a Deacon.

He was a farmer and life-long Shelby County resident.

Dwain was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during World War II from 1945 to 1946. He was privileged to go on the Indy Honor Flight on April 5, 2014.

He formerly owned and operated, Laird Grain Company from 1951 to 1972. In 1977, he became a field representative for the Indiana State Board of Tax Commissioners, retiring in 1990. From 1980 until 2014, he owned Laird Local Government Service.

Dwain served his community by being elected Liberty Township Trustee in 1954 and 1958, in 1966 he was elected to the Shelby County Council and then as Shelby County Auditor in 1970 and 1974. He was also the Honorary State Treasurer in 1995.

He was also a member and past president of the Southeast District of the Association of Indiana Counties and Association of Indiana Counties.

Dwain was an over 50-year member of the Waldron Masonic Lodge No. 217, Murat Shrine and Scottish Rite.

He was also an IHSAA sports official, officiating basketball, football, baseball and softball from 1946 to 2011. Dwain officiated the State Finals in baseball in 1973 and the State Finals in girls softball in 1990. He and his brothers, Bob and Bill, and brother-in-law, John Bush, officiated basketball, football and baseball games all over the state of Indiana. After graduating, he formed a fast pitch softball team, which led to him playing and or managing the following teams: Liberty Merchants in 1944, State Bank of Waldron in 1946, Stone Fish Chevrolet in 1950, McCain Insurance, and WSVL Team. In 1963, he started the slow pitch softball league in Shelby County. In 1993, he formed, played and managed the Indiana Silver Foxes Softball Team. He also organized and started the Mid-Hoosier Umpire Association.

Dwain was honored by being inducted into the Softball Players Association Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Indiana Softball Hall of Fame in 2012. Another honor bestowed upon Dwain, was the naming of the Blue River Park Diamond No. 2, the Dwain Laird Field.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mount Pisgah Baptist Church Building Fund and Riley Hospital for Children, 702 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis.