Meri Laird Jones

Meri (Chatty) Laird Jones, 60, of Boyne City, Michigan passed away in her sleep at her home on May 3, 2023.

The daughter of Russell (Rusty) and Bonnie Laird, Meri was born in Des Moines, Iowa on August 22, 1962. She grew up in Southfield, Michigan, graduating a semester early from Southfield High School to attend Iowa State University where she studied for three years until transferring to Drake University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing.

Meri worked as a recruiter in California after graduating and returned to Michigan to start her own recruiting firm 36 years ago with her mother. She was an industry leader holding many positions within the state association and board positions within NPA Worldwide, her global recruiting network. She was a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and won many achievement awards along with her sister-in-law, Lori, who will continue the Davidson Laird, Inc. executive recruiting business.

On February 1, 2003, she married Lynn Jones in Jamaica. They married at 4:00 PM and had friends and family celebrate with a toast at that time across eight different time zones.

Meri was such a beautiful, brilliant, vibrant, fun soul who embraced life and was such a light to all who knew her. She volunteered at The Humane Society and Eta Nu chapter of Boyne City.

She enjoyed golf at the Country Club of Boyne, playing with Lynn and friends four times weekly, along with skiing, biking, scuba diving, walking, hiking, and just being outside. Her true passion was travel and learning about diverse cultures, people, and history. She traveled many times to South Africa (wine country and on safari) along with Botswana, Rwanda, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea, India, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Belize, Europe, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Canada, and throughout the US.

She was an avid opera and theater goer and especially loved Le Miserable and Phantom of the Opera which she sang often. She also loved her birthday, white cake, the color yellow, lilies of the valley, their Kentucky Derby party, reading, Netflix, Wheat Thins, toffee, morel mushrooms, thin crust pizza, popcorn, gummy bears, dogs, yoga, and any excuse to get together with friends and family.

Meri celebrated her 60th birthday surrounded by friends who threw a party for her at The Eagles along with out-of-town friends Sarah, Donna, Monica, and Lori who flew in to surprise her. On her actual birthday she went skydiving, jumping out of a plane over Northern Michigan, with fearless friend Sallie who was terrified, but not Meri, she was excited to jump.

She is survived by her husband Lynn Jones; his daughters Martine Jones and Michelle (David) Walker; grandchildren: Allanah, Niall, Harley, Owen, and Joe; her brother Tim (Lori) Laird; uncle Jim Olson; cousins Kent (DeeDee) Olson, Bruce (Nancy) Olson, Chris (Pat) Sheen, Margaret (Dolly) Lynott; her Naples, Florida friends; and many close friends and colleagues around the world.

Meri is preceded in death by her parents, aunt Geri Olson, and beloved dogs Shadow and Lady.

Those wishing to make a charitable donation in Meri’s memory are asked to consider the Charlevoix Area Humane Society, https://www.charlevoixhumane.org/.

A celebration of life will be announced at a later date. Please enjoy every day as Meri would want you to, raise a glass in her honor, and keep her alive in your memories.

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