Charles Laughinghouse Obituary, A Life Well lived – Death
Charles Laughinghouse Obituary, Death Cause – For 82 years, my Dad was the standard-bearer for the Laughinghouse name, radiating joy with his mischievous grin and cheeky, twinkly-eyed good humor. He was one of the kindest, most honest, big-hearted men you could ever hope to meet. He charmed everyone he encountered, and I think that’s because he genuinely loved people, loved joking, and tended to see the best in folks.
He was, first and foremost, a family man: husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He and my Mom, Becky, met when my Mom was just 13 and my Dad was 15. They wed five years later and were married for 61 years. They were salt and pepper, inseparable, and absolutely devoted to one another. Our family tragically lost my sister, Kimberly, in 2009, but my father is survived by Becky, myself, Kim’s children, Kristin and Chris, and Kristin’s son, Wyatt.
We are all blessed with wonderful spouses, Scott, James, and Brandi, and my late sister’s husband, Steve, who join us and support us in our grief. Charlie’s positive influence in this life was felt far beyond his family. He was an extremely intelligent and innovative man. He earned a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, and he actually worked on the circuits used in the TV camera which flew with the Apollo 11 astronauts on the first moon landing. He held seven patents, including one that—just like you see in the movies—he sketched on a napkin over lunch.
He also worked with a team on a patent for a blood gas analyzer which helped to revolutionize the medical field—a project which literally involved his own blood, sweat, and tears. My Dad was keenly interested in his community, too, and as he prepared to retire from his engineering career, he campaigned to become a Forsyth County Commissioner. He wanted to see the county grow responsibly, preserving green spaces and establishing sufficient infrastructure and emergency services. Our entire family and so, so many fantastic volunteers fueled the grassroots campaigns that led to him being elected to the commission for seven years, from 2003-2010, including three years as the Commission Chairman.
He excelled in this role—meeting with members of the community, listening to their concerns, solving problems—because he really cared. He cared about people, and he cared about the future of the county. His impact will be felt for a long time to come.
Charlie was an extraordinarily resilient man, as well, enduring a series of challenges to his health. He fought prostate cancer, kidney cancer, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and COPD, and he had a heart valve replacement in the summer of 2022.
