Sad Day...

Had to say goodbye to yet another dear friend today. His name is Dan Laughter...his last name is pronounced Lotter, but you could always count on Dan to make you laugh. He and my Papa were the best of friends. So many of my car lot memories and cushman memories include Dan. You know how I always say Papa was the funniest person I've ever known? Well, Dan ranks pretty close...

He passed away Saturday, after a long, hard battle with lung cancer. Thank you ciggarettes...

Why is it that the death of someone you love brings up so many regrets? I regret not making it a point to see him more after Papa died. I regret not seeing him more than I did after we found out he was sick. I know, it doesn't matter how many times I saw him, because I would still wish I had seen him one more time. Kind of like when Mac died...oh how I wish I had waited around long enough to see him that day...I went to the hospital to see him. He was downstairs in Radiology. It was then I met Tony (the minister who baptized me). I had a choir concert that evening that I had to arrive early for...so I left before Mac got back. I never saw him again until he was gone. I talked to him on the phone a couple of times...but I just wish i could have given him one last hug. I feel the same way about Dan.

I know I don't need to be beating myself up...I guess I'm just still so hurt by the loss of another wonderful person in my life. That's the second one in January alone....

I swear it seems like ever since Papa died, all I do is go to funerals. Dan's was at the Paramount Theatre. So very fitting for him...he was an endless well of knowledge when it came to the history of Abilene, and could tell you anything you wanted to know. The funeral was seriously one of the neatest events I have ever been to. If you've ever been to downtown Abilene, you know parking is, well, almost non existant. My mother and I were worried about Mimi having to walk very far because she's got a hardware store in her ankle. Well, Sue (Dan's wife) took care of the parking issue - she hired Valet parking attendants. Now how smart is that? Anyway, that in itself made it pretty cool besides the fact that it was at the paramount.

During the memorial there was an adorable slideshow of photos and lots of funny funny stories told. I cried alot, but I also laughed a lot. There were so many people there, they ended up having to use the balcony too! My family alone took up 3 rows of seats...While the memorial was being held, workers were busy setting up lunch, dessert, drinks, beer, and wine in the foyer. Also, very fitting of Dan. In fact, someone said "alright y'all, Dan's feelings are gonna be hurt if we don't start drinkin that beer!" haha we all laughed because we all knew how much Dan loved a cold beer...I ended up being there over 3 hours. The memorial was long, but it didn't seem like it. Then we all ate and sat around talking..sharing one Dan story after another...It was sad, but also fun and just...perfect. well, as perfect as it could have been without Dan there. And as we were leaving, I discovered one more, probably the neatest of all, Dan & Sue touch to the service:

It's hard to read because I took it with my phone, but it's the front Marquee of the Paramount and reads:

Featuring
Dan Laughter's Life
1940 - 2007

Dan's stories always captivated me...and ALWAYS made me laugh. He treated me like family...I guess to all of us he was family. I know it's kind of morbid, but I copied his obituary below. Believe me, it's not your average obituary. It's a story...one last Dan story...

A life filled with wit and humor and a passion for Abilene history ended with the passing of Dan Turner Laughter III. The grandson of two prominent early Abilenians, Dan T. Laughter founder of Laughter Funeral Home and Arthur Sears noted rancher, Dan was renowned for his knowledge of early Abilene.

Memorial Services, directed by The Hamil Family Funeral Home, will be Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Abilene. Officiating will be his cousin, Father Tommy Bye, rector of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Ft. Worth assisted by longtime friend Jerry Johnson.

Born to Jewell Sears and Dan T. Laughter II, Dan arrived two weeks after his father had died. His grandparents, aunts and family friends, joined Jewel in helping to care for Dan and his sister Judy. When Dan was four years old, Paul Hodge became his step-father and was a strong influence in his life. Dan resided at 1174 Amarillo, the Laughter family home built by his grandparents about 1914. He and Sue had lovingly restored the home to its former beauty, being careful to preserve the integrity and history of the original home.

Dan attended Abilene schools and completed his education at the Judson School in Scottsdale, Arizona. He worked several year at Caleb Reed's Men's Store; was active in the used car business, owned and managed a resort on Lake LBJ and was involved in land sales in the Texas Hill Country. His years away from Abilene were brief and he was anxious to return to his roots. He was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest.

Dan's knowledge of history was spurred by his deep love for his grandparents and his involvement with the friends of those grandparents. His friends recall how Dan's stories of these people always involved not only where they lived, but what kind of car they drove, down to the details of color and hubcaps styles. That part of history was due to Dan's keen interest in mid century cars.

Dan Laughter never met a stranger, and everyone he met was entertained by his stories, sometimes hysterical tales, always punctuated with bits of profanity, both appropriate and inappropriate. But coming from Dan, these colorful descriptive terms were overlooked. His ability to butcher the English language will forever remain in the memories of his family and friends.

A little known side of Dan was his musical ability. He was self taught on the classical guitar, and enchanted his family and friends with haunting Spanish love songs as well as flamenco and rousing tunes like "Under the Double Eagle". His other passions included American cars, Cushman Scooters, Harley Davidson motorcycles, a good cold beer and first and foremost his family.

Dan was predeceased by his parents and his stepfather, Paul Hodge. He is survived by his wife Sue, his children Shelby Luke of Comfort, Texas and her children Savannah and Sophie; and D. Turner Laughter IV, of Boerne and his wife Darla; sister Judy Nalda-Laughter of Ft. Stanton, New Mexico and her children Julie and Pete; his brothers Arthur Paul Hodge who lives on his sailboat "The Jewel"; Hunt Hodge and wife Erma and their daughter Kristal of The Woodlands; Step children Kevin Eaton and his wife Sheila of Weatherford and their children Katie, Korbin, Kennedy, Kamryn, Blake Steele and Natalie Steele all of Weatherford and Stacie Eaton of Abilene. Other survivors include his aunts Margaret Brown and her husband Raleigh, and Margie Wells, both of Abilene; Frances Sears of Sweetwater and Vivian Streeter of Weatherford; nieces and nephews and a host of cousins and friends.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Dan's memory to the Salvation Army, Rescue the Animals or the donor's charity of choice. The family also gives special thanks to Dr. Melnyk and his staff for their loving care of Dan during his 18 month battle with lung cancer.

There are so many things in that obituary that I would love to reflect on, but I guess it would be more for me than anyone else. I suppose that's the purpose of this blog too...

For now I'll just remember the wonderful times, say a prayer, and cry some more tears....