My dear community,
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Professor Emeritus Joan Laird on January 17, 2025.
A graduate of Vassar College in 1956, Laird obtained her master's degree from the Columbia School of Social Work in 1971 and later completed three years of post-master's study as the first student in a joint Ph.D. program in anthropology and social work at the University of Michigan. Laird was a member of the faculty at Eastern Michigan University and while there she co-founded the Ann Arbor Center for the Family, a group clinical, research, and training facility for family therapy with her life partner, the late Ann Hartman, M.S.S. '54 and SSW dean emerita, and four others.
Laird was instrumental to the field of family social work, publishing the co-authored book Family-Centered Social Work Practice with Hartman, which for many years was a leading text in schools of social work nationally and internationally. They later published a co-edited volume, A Handbook of Child Welfare and went on to co-author several articles and to collaborate on many other professional endeavors. In 1986, Laird and Hartman relocated to Massachusetts where Laird taught for one year at the Boston University School of Social Work before joining Smith College School for Social Work as an associate professor, teaching family theory and practice and cultural studies.
Laird continued publishing and writing, editing Lesbians and Gays in Couples and Families, the first book on this topic, with Robert-Jay Green. When she retired from Smith, in 1997, Laird had published six books, over 60 chapters and articles, and traveled the country speaking and consulting with many schools of social work.
Laird was a trailblazing scholar, teacher, and advocate who transformed the field of social work through her groundbreaking contributions to family-centered practice and LGBTQ+ studies. A fierce feminist and lifelong champion of social justice, Laird used her winning combination of intellect, humor, and warmth to inspire students, colleagues, and communities. She was always a champion for the humanity and dignity of those at the margins. She reminds us all that a life lived with passion, integrity, and love for others can create ripples of change that endure far beyond one lifetime.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Laird’s memory may be made to MoveOn, the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, or the charity of your choice. Per Laird’s wishes, all services will be private.
Laird’s official obituary can be found here.
Sincerely,
Marianne R.M. Yoshioka, M.S.W., MBA, Ph.D., LCSW
Dean | Elizabeth Marting Treuhaft Professor
Smith College School for Social Work
