Henry David Laughlin Jr.

1932 - 2016

Henry David Laughlin Jr., 84, went to be with the Lord on Friday, Aug. 19, 2016. Service: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in Greenwood Chapel. Memorials: in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lighthouse United Methodist Church or Covenant Hospice of Fort Worth. Hank, as his friends knew him, was born March 6, 1932, in Rockford, Ill., the son of Henry David Laughlin Sr. and Elizabeth Faxon Strock Laughlin. He grew up on the Laughlin family farm, Heather Grange in Oregon, Ill., and in Chicago. In 1949 he moved to Fort Worth with his family, and his father later established Laughlin Corporation, a conveyor packaging manufacturing company. Hank lived on Lake Worth and attended North Side High School. At graduation he attended the University of Colorado. The Korean War interrupted his college and he was drafted into the Army. He attained the rank of sergeant first class and won the Bronze Star before returning to college. After college, Laughlin was employed with Standard Knapp Corporation as a district and regional manager. He also served as manager of new product development and vice president of sales and marketing at the company. In the 1970s he returned to Fort Worth and took over the family business after the death of his father. He became president of Laughlin Corporation, a 64-year- old family business and remained in that job until his retirement. He still worked at the company in design and marketing until his illness. Hank served his community as a PTA president, member of his church vestry and in later years as a member of the communion committee at the Lighthouse United Methodist Church in Fort Worth, where he was a member. In recent years he served as chairman of the board of the Mary Ann Manlove Fisk Fund, a nonprofit organization. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity and Alpha Delta Sigma Advertising Honorary. He was a 37-year member of Ridglea Country Club, a member of the prestigious Society of Cincinnati and a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He loved golf, travel, parties and having fun. His travels in golf took him to some of the most famous courses in the U.S. and around the world. He was a charming and generous man who made everybody feel better about themselves with his wonderful sense of humor. Hank was a loving family man, and his family will miss him greatly in the days to come. The family wishes to thank all of the caregivers who so lovingly helped care for our beloved Hank. He was preceded in death by his eldest son, Henry David Laughlin III. Survivors: His beloved wife, Mariann; daughter, Jane Laughlin Murphy; son, John Matthew Laughlin and wife, Rosemary; brother, Tim Laughlin; stepchildren, Cmdr, Erik Lohrke, USN, Lindsay Elizabeth Lohrke Johnson and Kristi Dallas; grandchildren, Nicholas Laughlin, Adam Henry Laughlin, Connor Fields and Austin Fields; stepgrandchildren, Dylan, Addison and Derek Lohrke, Grant and Annalise Johnson, Clayton Dallas and Hayley Dallas Edwards.