Sunday, June 18, 2023

John Laughland, Rest in Peace

[NOTE: I penned this short essay right after my father died on May 7, 2004.

 After hearing of my father's passing, I walked alone in the early morning, remembering how he loved the early morning. He was always the first one up, and loved to go jogging, or canoeing, when he was at the lake. Then he would come in, read the paper while listening to Talk Radio, eating his grapefruit, jam and yogurt (yes, for those of you who don't know, he had bizarre eating habits.) Yes, he enjoyed Talk Radio. He is the only person I know of who could listen to the radio, watch TV, and play the violin at the same time. And when he watched TV, he never watched just one program, but would watch five at the same time, switching from one to another, keeping track of what was going on on each show. 

 John Laughland was one of the most well-informed men I ever met, even though I never saw him sitting down to read anything; he read while he was shaving and performing his morning toilette. He could discuss any number of topics, be it history, politics, science, with familiarity. Whenever we traveled, he would point out all the geological and historical points of interest, so that ever after, when driving on 81, I still hear his voice discussing glaciers and rock formations. He hated to stop when traveling, except for a brief meal and bathroom break, but liked to get to where he was going. (On the way to Canada his favorite place to stop was Clark's Summit,PA.) He did let up a bit in his old age.

Dad's great interest, after family history, was music. He was a musician and worked at it his entire life. He was an Irish tenor, and played the violin and mandolin. When we were small, on moonlit nights, he would stand on the back porch and play Irish songs on the mandolin or violin, while my sister and I would dance. He loved directing the church choir; he loved making music with his brothers at family reunions.

He worked all his adult life as a civil engineer, and for many years worked two jobs, a day job as County engineer in Jefferson County, WV, and then ran his own business at night and weekends. It never occurred to him that he would not work twelve hours a day (at least) to provide for his family. He was the most devoted of family men, and loved corresponding with all his brothers, sister, nieces, nephews, first and second cousins. He loved the outdoors, camping, hiking, canoeing; every year he looked forward to the Family Reunion. He enjoyed maintaining ancient Celtic traditions, such as the midsummer bonfire on St. John's Eve ( June 23.) He wore his kilt with the clan tartan at our weddings, and startled the locals by playing the bagpipes. He loved being the chieftain of the Clan. He had a very quirky sense of humor, which we all got used to eventually.

I could go on and on, but must stop. Let me end by saying that he taught me to say the "Our Father" and "Hail Mary." He loved the Scriptures, and passed that love on to me. He was truly a gentle-man; one would never have guessed that his life would be cut short by such hideous suffering, but we leave that to God. His courtesy and lack of complaining during such excruciating indignities touched all hearts. He drifted peacefully into Eternity after many rosaries, my sister Andrea holding his hand. In your charity, please pray for the repose of his soul.

 "The souls of the just are in the hands of God...." Wisdom 3:1

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19 comments:

lara77 said...

You were very blessed with your father, I am sure he is watching over you as I write this. He is in my prayers.

Anonymous said...

Memory Eternal!

Anonymous said...

I meant to add that I share your father's bizarre eating habits...I love jam and yogurt!

Terry Nelson said...

I'll pray for him at adoration. What a wonderful guy.

Ann Murray said...

This is a beautiful and moving tribute to your father - clearly a gentleman loved and missed by many.

elena maria vidal said...

Thank you, dear friends!

Anonymous said...

Will remember your lovely father in my prayers, Elena.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful, endearing tribute. He raised a gracious and talented daughter. Prayers for his soul. Thanks for sharing your memories.

Anonymous said...

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let Perpetual Light shine upon him. Amen.


Beautiful tribute.

Kimberly said...

What a loving tribute to your father...thank you for sharing your memories of him. May God grant him eternal rest!

Michael J. Russell said...

Thanks, sweetie, for the beautiful tribute to your dear father. Of course, he was for me the only "dad" I ever knew in this life, and I was profoundly blessed and inspired by the years I shared with him.

Sanctus Belle said...

I recommend his soul to the prayers of Mary, mother of the holy souls. Amen+

Julianne Douglas said...

I was so touched by this beautiful tribute you wrote for your father. Thank you for sharing your memories with us! I will keep him in my prayers, and you as well, for you must miss him greatly.

elena maria vidal said...

Thanks to you all for your amazing, sympathetic words. My mother read what everyone wrote and was deeply moved. I told her that now we know what is meant by the "kindness of strangers."

Heidi Hess Saxton said...

Ah, my friend. How you must miss him! How wonderful that you have so many wonderful stories to tell your little one!

Praying for you today.

elena maria vidal said...

Thanks, Heidi, so much!

CR Wall said...

He seems to have been a lovely soul.

elena maria vidal said...

Thank you, he was.

Norma Jean said...

I loved your Dad so much.