Eugenie Laidler

Genie resided in New York City for much of her life before relocating to Westport, CT in the early 1980s with her husband, John A. Laidler, who died in 1996. She remained in the Westport area for the remainder of her life. Most recently, she was residing at the Wilton Meadows nursing home.

Propelled by an adventurous spirit, Genie traveled extensively over the years with her husband and later after his death. Those trips included many visits to Spain, where she and John owned a house in the coastal village of Jesus Pobre. Other travels took her to locations ranging from France and Italy to Australia, Egypt, Greece, Morocco, Russia, Turkey, and Yugoslavia. Early in their marriage, Genie and John had a memorable tour of postwar Europe in 1948.

Always curious about the world, Genie developed a particular interest in anthropology, which led her to resume her education later in life. Attending Hunter College, she completed a bachelor’s degree - begun decades earlier at the University of Connecticut - and obtained a master’s degree, both in anthropology.

An avid reader, particularly of her beloved New York Times and The New Yorker, Genie shared with her husband a keen interest in politics. She and John, the son of socialist author and activist Harry W. Laidler, were longtime members of a Democratic club in Manhattan. Late in life, she continued to keep abreast of current events as a devoted news reader and watcher.

She and John also shared a love of Cape Cod. With their children, they spent parts of each summer in Wellfleet, where they owned a home on Gull Pond Road and formed lasting friendships. In later years, Genie spent parts of her winters on Florida’s west coast. Genie also loved the arts, including plays and galleries, and animals of all kinds - particularly her cherished dogs Wolfgang, Sammy, and Maggie.

Genie grew up in New York, the daughter of Irving Grey, who had an importing business, and Eugenia (Frankel) Grey, an immigrant from Italy with Eastern European roots who owned a doll manufacturing business. After attending public schools, Genie graduated from Friends Seminary in Manhattan.

She and her husband married in 1947 and raised four children, residing on Manhattan’s east side. John, originally from Brooklyn, spent his career as an administrator for Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York. Genie served as a librarian at Manhattan Country School. She later worked at the Museum of the American Indian, and volunteered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Genie is survived by her daughter, Robin Scholl and her husband, Brooks Scholl, of New Canaan, CT; her daughter, Susana Laidler and her husband, George Timko, of New York City; her son, John Laidler and his wife, Maura Laidler, of Sharon, MA; and her daughter, Sarah Laidler and her husband, Michael O’Brien, of Wakefield, RI.

She is also survived by her granddaughter Amanda Hillsberg Arya and her husband, Rishi Arya; her granddaughter, Diana Timko and her husband, Fraser Reid; her grandson, Myles Timko; her granddaughter, Erica Laidler; her grandson, Johnny Laidler; her grandson, Henry O’Brien; her granddaughter, Heather Thorley and her husband, Stephen Thorley; her granddaughter, Sarah Scholl; and her grandson, Brooks Scholl and his wife, Virginia Scholl.

Her survivors also include eight great-grandchildren: Emma, Matthew, Colin, William, Brooke, and Claire Thorley; and Grey and Flynn Scholl.

Besides her husband, Genie was predeceased by her brother, Richard Grey, and her sister, Madeleine Cochran.

The family plans a graveside service in Wellfleet this summer, with details to come.