Jerry J. (Jakie) Laughlin

Jerry Jacob (Jakie) Laughlin, 76, of Morgan Mill, passed away Sunday, June 7, 2009 in his home with his family at his bedside. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, June 10th, at Stephenville Funeral Home Chapel with Mitchell Greer and Frank Brisco officiating. Interment will follow at Morgan Mill Cemetery. Visitation will be held 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM Tuesday evening at Stephenville Funeral Home. Jakie was born May 10, 1933 in Roswell New Mexico to Virgil V. and Mary Orlena Underwood Laughlin. In 1938 the family moved back to Morgan Mill after homesteading in New Mexico. Jakie's father was a rancher all his life, and Jakie too was a rancher and farmer his entire life. Jakie served in the U. S. Marine Corps serving from 1954, and was honorably discharged in 1957. He served in Korea and Japan. Jakie married Judy Crum in 1957, and to this union two children were born, Kenneth K. Laughlin and Brenda Laughlin Osinga both of Morgan Mill. Also during this time Jakie worked and put himself through college graduating from John Tarleton with an Associates degree in 1958, and later graduating from North Texas University in Denton. Judy preceded him in death in 1994. In 1995, Jakie married Mary Chandler Goule. Farming and ranching, cattle sales and auctions were Jakie's workplaces. He was well known throughout the Cross Timbers area for his knowledge of cattle, farm and ranch management; auctions of farm equipment and sales. Jakie served on many boards throughout his life. He was on the Morgan Mill Cemetery Board for 45 years; he was a school board member, was one of the charter members of the Morgan Mill Volunteer Fire Department. Jakie was on the Board of Directors of Ag Texas Farm Credit Services for 31 years serving as vice-chairman his last two years. Jakie's fun of teasing and arguing with his fellow coffee friends was a show to remember. Jakie would say "if you aren't having fun in your life; you aren't living". His personality and his generosity were bigger than Texas. He loved people, and doing things for them. His contribution to the Morgan Mill Community will be in use for years to come. His fund raising for the school, fire department, and lastly for the Morgan Mill Community Center are hallmarks of this time and money given. Above all Jakie was a Christian every day of his life. He was a member of the Morgan Mill Church of Christ and at one time serving as a deacon. His last contribution to his church was the remodeling of classrooms to setup a fellowship room. Jakie is survived by his wife, Mary Goule Laughlin; son, Kenny and wife Linda Laughlin; his daughter, Brenda Laughlin Osinga, and husband Willem Osinga; two sisters, Maude Myrle Halliburton and Jo Jean Reinhard both of Lubbock; three grandchildren, Crystal and her husband Matt Sikes, Alex Laughlin, and Leanna Laughlin; and one great grandchild, Caden Sikes. Jakie is also survived by three step-children, Lea Ann and husband Michael Spake of Troy MI, Aron and Shane Goule of Morgan Mill, and Chandler Goule of Washington DC, 3 step grandchildren, Marcus and his wife Allison White, Danika Spake, and Kelby Spake. Jakie was preceded in death by his wife Judy Crum Laughlin, his parents, his brothers, Rex R. Laughlin, Loran L. Laughlin, Virgil V. Laughlin, Jr., and Dean D. Laughlin. The family request in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Foster's Home for Children, P. O. Box 978, Stephenville, Texas 76401, or Jerry J. Laughlin Endowed Scholarship, Tarleton State University, P. O. Box T-0260, Stephenville, Texas 76402