John Gordon Laughter Jr.

John Gordon Laughter, Jr., passed away on May 31, 2017. He was born on Dec. 18, 1919, in Jackson County to the late John Gordon Laughter, Sr. and wife Carrie Kone Fisher Laughter, both descendants of pioneer Texan settlers.
He was educated in the Edna schools, Schreiner College in Kerrville and A&I College in Kingsville. He was a licensed civil engineer, retired from TxDOT.
He is survived by his daughter Katherine Francis Laughter Kamal of Cairo, Egypt and nieces and nephews.
John is preceded in death by his parents, sisters Annalee Laughter Ratliff and Mary Laughter Frels of Edna; and a brother, William Pierce Laughter, a member of the U.S. Marine Corp who was KIA on Okinawa June 21, 1945.
He was a member of the Masonic Fraternities for over 70 years and Past Master of both Edna and Victoria Masonic Lodges. He was a 32 degree Scottish Rite KCCH, a Knight Templar and a Noble of Al Amin Shrine of Corpus Christi.
He was a member of the Winthrop Society; his forbearers having come to Massachusetts Bay Colony with Lord Winthrop in 1630.
He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of the Republic of Texas and Sons of Confederate Veterans. He served his county in World War II for over four years both as an enlisted man and an officer in the U.S. Army in the United States, England, France and Belgium.
Graveside service was Saturday, June 3, at 2 p.m. at the Texas Historical Commission W.P. Laughter Cemetery located northwest of Edna.
Arrangements are under the direction of Oaklawn Funeral Home in Edna 361-782-2221.