LAUGHLIN, MD, Harold J. "Hal"
Age 97, of Beavercreek, OH, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 29, 2022, at his daughter's home in Bellefontaine, OH. He was born October 1, 1925, in Covington, KY, to the late Harry and Hilda (Stenger) Laughlin. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Margaret Ann "Marge" (Kohl) Laughlin. Harold was a practicing physician in Beavercreek for 45 years, first in private practice on Mardon Drive, and then with the practice of Drs. Casebere, Hummel, O'Halloran and Laughlin on Dayton-Xenia Road.
Harold served his country in WWII as a Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, 541st Parachute Infantry Regiment in 1944 (France), and the 504 Parachute Infantry Regiment in 1945 (Berlin), where he briefly served as part of the Honor Guard for General Eisenhower.
Left to cherish Harold's memory are his six children: Annette Laughlin, Patricia (Thomas) Sullivan, Matthew Laughlin, Margaret "Peggy" (Kevin) Forrest, John Laughlin, and Timothy (Stephenie) Laughlin. Grandchildren: Michael (Whitney) Payne, Emily Sullivan, Nathan Sullivan, Nicholas Laughlin, Alex Laughlin, Kohl (Crystal Spaulding) Forrest, Jake Forrest, Morgan Laughlin, Connor Laughlin, Keegan Laughlin, and Molly Laughlin. Step-grandchildren: Chelsey (Brody) Davidson and Braden King. Several great-grandchildren and his sisters, Shirley (Laughlin) Lalley, of Villa Hills, KY, and Laverne (Laughlin) Stark of Scottsdale, AZ.
Harold was a devoted, loving, generous, man with a special spot in his heart for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At any family gathering, he could be spotted on the floor with the little ones, sharing a cup of pretend tea or building a Lego tower. As the children grew, he would often boost them onto his workbench and help them hammer a nail or teach them to use his metal clamps to glue wood planks together.
Harold was a devout Catholic and a long-time parishioner of St. Luke Catholic Church in Beavercreek, and later a member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Dayton where he enjoyed attending Latin Mass, the service he cherished from his childhood and his years at St. Meinrad Seminary in the early 1940's. His avid interest in his family roots included spending many hours on genealogy websites, pouring over maps of Ireland, and enjoying car trips with his beloved Marge as they traveled across the Midwest to visit churches and graveyards, hunting for clues to his ancestry.
Harold's commitment to service is one of his most enduring strengths and is perhaps best illustrated by his dedication to his patients over his 45-year career as a family physician. He cared very much about all his patients, but the way he tells it, his most profound privilege as a medical doctor was to have delivered 360 babies, back in the days when you could do that as a general practitioner. It was a story he shared with pride one last time with his caregiver the week before he passed.
In addition to his parents and beloved wife, Marge, Harold was preceded in death by his daughter-in-law, Vikki (John) Laughlin, and grandson, Brian Wilson.
Like his wife, Marge, Harold gifted his remains to the Wright State University School of Medicine Anatomical Gift Program for educational purposes. His final resting place will be the Rockafield Cemetery on the campus of Wright State University, where his beloved wife's remains were laid to rest before his.
A Requiem Latin Mass will take place at Holy Family Catholic Church, 140 S. Findlay St., Dayton, OH 45403, Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at noon. Friends and family are invited to a celebration of Harold's life immediately following at The Gem by Christopher's 3425 Valley Pike, Dayton, OH 45404.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Harold's memory may be made to Ohio's Hospice of Dayton.
Laughlin, Harold
