Obituary for Thomas Richard Laughton
Thomas Richard Laughton, 80, of Le Mars, Iowa, passed away on Friday, June 24, 2022, at his home. Funeral services will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, at the Mauer – Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. Rev. Christian Meier will officiate. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Le Mars. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at the Mauer – Johnson Funeral Home. The family will be present from 4-7 p.m. to greet friends. Visitation will resume on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the funeral home.
Thomas Richard Laughton was born on August 26, 1941, in Le Mars, Iowa to Richard and Carolyn (Bogenrief) Laughton. He attended Hinton Schools and Le Mars Central High School graduating in 1960. He lived in town and also on his Grandparent’s (Bogenrief) farm near Hinton, showing 4-H cattle and helping with all farm work.
On August 19, 1961, Tom and Dianne Deegan were united in marriage in Struble, Iowa. They made their home in Le Mars.
In his early working years, Tom worked at Sioux City Dressed Beef and apprenticed with a local plumber. He then worked as a police officer in Le Mars. Next, he started a long career as a truck driver. First with long hauls of cattle to Canada of which he told many stories. He then drove 4 million miles without an accident for Harker’s / Tyson Foods until his retirement.
Tom enjoyed cars all his life – building hot rods for street racing when he was young. He took pride in his vehicles and is fondly remembered cruising around with his perfect ducktail back in the day. He also enjoyed his Harley Davidson motorcycles, racing snowmobiles through the Black Hills of South Dakota, pit crewing for Sprint Car races and speeding down the Missouri River in his black jet boat. The last car he enjoyed was his Shelby GT500 Mustang.
Tom took pride in his home ownership, yard and gardens. He was able to fix anything and kept his house and lawn immaculate. He also helped maintain the yard of Dick and Gladys’ home later in their life as well as the Deegan farm place and other elderly neighbors. He was always happy to help out.
Tom enjoyed traveling with his wife and daughters to many places; Hong Kong, Japan, China, Mexico, Alaska, New York City, his daughter Julie’s home in Laguna Beach, to his daughter Jean's cattle brandings in South Dakota as well as vacationing in the West.
Grateful to have shared his life is his wife, Dianne Laughton of Le Mars, IA; two daughters, Julie Laughton and her husband, Richard Williams of Trabuco Canyon, CA, and Jean Laughton of the Badlands of South Dakota; a brother, John Laughton of Palm Beach, CA; and numerous in-laws and relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, father Richard Laughton, step-mother Gladys Laughton; mother, Carolyn Wood; Grandparents Art and Albena Bogenrief and Leora Laughton; and a sister and her husband, Barbara and Joe Byrnes.
Thomas Richard Laughton was born on August 26, 1941, in Le Mars, Iowa to Richard and Carolyn (Bogenrief) Laughton. He attended Hinton Schools and Le Mars Central High School graduating in 1960. He lived in town and also on his Grandparent’s (Bogenrief) farm near Hinton, showing 4-H cattle and helping with all farm work.
On August 19, 1961, Tom and Dianne Deegan were united in marriage in Struble, Iowa. They made their home in Le Mars.
In his early working years, Tom worked at Sioux City Dressed Beef and apprenticed with a local plumber. He then worked as a police officer in Le Mars. Next, he started a long career as a truck driver. First with long hauls of cattle to Canada of which he told many stories. He then drove 4 million miles without an accident for Harker’s / Tyson Foods until his retirement.
Tom enjoyed cars all his life – building hot rods for street racing when he was young. He took pride in his vehicles and is fondly remembered cruising around with his perfect ducktail back in the day. He also enjoyed his Harley Davidson motorcycles, racing snowmobiles through the Black Hills of South Dakota, pit crewing for Sprint Car races and speeding down the Missouri River in his black jet boat. The last car he enjoyed was his Shelby GT500 Mustang.
Tom took pride in his home ownership, yard and gardens. He was able to fix anything and kept his house and lawn immaculate. He also helped maintain the yard of Dick and Gladys’ home later in their life as well as the Deegan farm place and other elderly neighbors. He was always happy to help out.
Tom enjoyed traveling with his wife and daughters to many places; Hong Kong, Japan, China, Mexico, Alaska, New York City, his daughter Julie’s home in Laguna Beach, to his daughter Jean's cattle brandings in South Dakota as well as vacationing in the West.
Grateful to have shared his life is his wife, Dianne Laughton of Le Mars, IA; two daughters, Julie Laughton and her husband, Richard Williams of Trabuco Canyon, CA, and Jean Laughton of the Badlands of South Dakota; a brother, John Laughton of Palm Beach, CA; and numerous in-laws and relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, father Richard Laughton, step-mother Gladys Laughton; mother, Carolyn Wood; Grandparents Art and Albena Bogenrief and Leora Laughton; and a sister and her husband, Barbara and Joe Byrnes.