David W. Laughery

David W. Laughery passed from this life on February 21, 2025, at age 80. He is survived by his loving wife and best friend of 55 years: Jerri Anne Garmhausen Laughery; son Stephen (Gretel) Laughery of Fredericksburg, PA; daughter Jennifer Laughery of Baltimore, MD; son Christopher Laughery of Fredericksburg, PA; and sister Pam Venet of Naples, FL. He was predeceased by his grandson Adam Laughery. He was a member of Mt. Zion Road Church in Lebanon, PA.
Born in Philadelphia on February 19, 1945, he was the son of the late William J. and Elaine Bretz Laughery. He retired from the Derry Township School District, where he had taught for forty years as a classroom and substitute teacher. He also taught courses at Central Penn College and Temple University.
David had master's degrees from Penn State University in Education and American Studies and had a life-long interest in the history of technology, especially electric transportation. He was a member of the Hershey Derry Township Historical Society and was active in the Friends of the Hershey Trolley. His large-scale models of Hershey Trolleys are on display in the Society's collection and in private collections and were described in a national model trolley publication. David wrote numerous articles for an Australian model railroading magazine. He was a part-time employee of the Palmyra Company Scale Model Railroads and worked on many model train layouts and museum displays throughout Eastern United States. He also loved music and was an avid banjo and guitar player and teacher.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Kreamer & Lum Funeral Home & Crematory, Jonestown. There will be a viewing from 12:00 p.m. till the start of the service. Interment will follow at Wolf's Union Meeting House Cemetery, Lebanon.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Mt. Zion Road Church, 2087 Mt. Zion Rd., Lebanon, PA 17046.