Warren Hamilton Laughlin

Warren Hamilton Laughlin passed away on June 24, 2021 at the age of 87, at the Kansas Veterans’ Home in Winfield, Kansas after battling Alzheimer’s disease for several years. Despite the progression of the disease, glimpses of Warren’s personality and sense of humor remained until the very end. Warren grew up in Geneseo, Kansas where he graduated from Geneseo High School in 1952. After earning a business degree at Wichita State University in 1956, Warren married Carla Gray and joined the Air Force for three years of active duty followed by 11 years of reserves. Laughlin was a radar controller during the Cold War. He was discharged from the military with the rank of Captain. Warren and Carla had three children; Davis, Daric and Darla, who he became so proud of throughout the years. After leaving the military, Warren returned to Geneseo where he served his community as a banker, school board member, volunteer fire fighter, church choir member, sports official and in other organizations. Warren acted as Officer of the Day leading Memorial Day services at the Geneseo Cemetery for over 30 years. He sang at countless weddings, funerals and church services and had a wonderful voice. Warren and Carla divorced in 1979 and a year later he met and fell in love with Jo Ann Cain Patterson. They married in April of 1981. They were very good for each other and enjoyed 40 years together. Being with family, dancing, socializing and attending community events were among their favorite activities. During his time with Jo Ann and years prior, Warren acted as either vice president or president for 54 years at several banks in Oklahoma and the Wichita area. He continued to serve communities on school boards and in other leadership capacities. When he married Jo Ann, Warren gained a daughter Brenda and a son Mike. He loved them as his own and they loved him deeply as well and thought of him as dad. Warren was witty, quick with a joke, caring, creative, a great thinker and always ready to sing. He invented and had a patent on the Laughlin Foul-Lite, a basketball ‘pole’ that displayed how many fouls a player had. Many schools across the Midwest had a Foul-Lite in their gyms. He loved solving problems and fixing things and never shied away from a challenge. Warren impacted the lives of many people over the course of his life. He will be missed. Warren is survived by his wife, Jo Ann of Wichita, Kansas; his children, Davis (Donna) Laughlin of Benton, KS., Daric (Karen) Laughlin of Overland Park, KS., and Darla (Mark) Brin of Salina, KS.; Jo Ann’s children, Mike (Tanya) Patterson of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Brenda Patterson Morterud of Frisco, Texas; twelve grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Warren is preceded in death by his parents, Hamilton D. and Gertrude (Hunter) Laughlin; and his sister, Colleen (Laughlin) Farley. A funeral service will be held at the First United Methodist Church at 330 N. Broadway in Wichita, Kansas on Tuesday, June 29th at 10:00 a.m.. Following the funeral, Warren will be buried at a graveside military ceremony at the Geneseo Cemetery in Geneseo, Kansas at 2:00 p.m. A public viewing will be held at Downey & Lahey Mortuary on Monday, June 28th from 5 - 7 p.m. at 10515 W. Maple in Wichita, Kansas. Memorial donations have been established with Alzheimer's Association, Central & Western Kansas 1820 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67214 and First United Methodist Church, Chancel Choir, 330 N. Broadway St., Wichita, KS 67202.