Todd Burton Laing

LAING, Todd Burton, age 56, of Bridgewater, NS, passed away Sunday, August 6, 2023 at the QEII.
Born in Halifax, NS and raised in Milton, NS, Todd was the son of Patricia Gail (Hartlen) and the late Gary Burton.
Todd is survived by his spouse and love of his life, Janice Jollimore; mother Patricia (Bridgewater); sons Joshua (Samara) of Chester and Kody (Nicole) of Kentville, daughter Keeli (Kyle) of Bridgewater; stepsons Alexander Wamboldt of Halifax, Jared Wamboldt of Bridgewater; sister Jill (John) of Halifax; nieces Sophia and Eve Wedderburn of Halifax;  step granddaughter Gracie Dawn of Chester and grandchildren Nora and Avalon of Kentville.
Todd was a man of substance, intelligence, integrity, resourcefulness, wit, charm, well-placed obstinance, an eye for fashionable threads (and fashion pins in his early years), and for those closest to him, relentless grammar correction. Anyone who knew him, knew that he was a proud and loyal L.A. Lakers fan whose love for Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant was real and lasting, reflected in his tattoos.
His tough exterior belied his huge, soft and generous heart. His kindness and love extended through and beyond his family and friends. He revelled in spinning a tall tale that sometimes (often) blurred the lines between fact and fiction. Stories were spun from baseball diamonds, competitive swimming pools, schoolyards, the deep woods, Michelin, oil rigs and home repairs, retold in backyards, kitchens and his favorite camping spot near the old townsite where he and his father went hunting.
To say he was competitive is beyond an understatement. He took no prisoners at the poker table, washer toss, ladder golf, chess and crib boards, and every other game he ever played. And he never lost, according to him.
He never met a rum he didn’t like (well, maybe one) and took every opportunity to toast the smallest and biggest of life’s happenings.
He had a special way of making people feel seen, heard, valued, and lent a hand to anyone who needed help. He was a guide and mentor. Nothing gave him greater joy than to teach others, whether giving driving lessons (cars, trucks or lawn tractors) or tips on how to save money, building something from scratch or reviving something old and/or broken. And he was always so grateful to have someone teach him how to do something new, the highlight of which was renovating the older home he shared with his equally handy partner Janice.
His biggest smiles came from time in his backyard surrounded by his favorite people while grilling up his special burgers, sausages and whistle dogs (passed down from his father).
With a “man-sized” glass in hand, in hues of purple and gold, we say “Until we meet again”. Rest easy; Dad is waiting for you at 2 Mile Rock.
Cremation has taken place under the direction of Chandlers’ Funeral Services, Liverpool, NS. A private celebration of life will take place at a later date. Donations in his memory may be made to ProKids Bridgewater (For contact information to make a donation, visit https://www.bridgewater.ca/town-services/parks-recreation-a-culture/p-r-o-kids). We wish to express our sincere thanks and deep gratitude to the QEII’s ICU 5.2 and organ and tissue donor care teams for the compassion they showed to Todd and his family. Todd’s generous spirit lives on through his donations that could potentially save three lives and positively impact many others. To share memories or condolences, please visit www.chandlersfuneral.com