John Joseph Laugle

John J. Laugle, formerly of Greendale, Indiana, passed away peacefully at his home in Virginia Beach, VA on Friday, October 20, 2023; he was 88 years old.

John was born November 9, 1934, to Millard Laugle and Margaret (Reilly) Laugle in Cincinnati, OH. He is survived by the love of his life, Helen Rose “Rosie” (Brunsman) Laugle. Additionally, he is survived by daughter Margaret “Mag” (Mark) Drury of Aurora; Beth (Bill) Katz of Cincinnati, OH; Jim (Jeri) Laugle of Greendale; Jeff (Leta) Laugle of Virginia Beach, VA; 14 Grandchildren and 21 Great-Grandchildren; also survived by Regina Laugle, Carol Laugle, Bonnie Laugle, and Tracy Laugle. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers Millard, Neal, and “Gene”, son Joseph (2017), and daughter Jeanette (1977).

John was on the first-ever football team at Batesville High School; he remembered wearing leather helmets that first year! It was in high school typing class that he met his sweetheart, Rosie. Graduating in 1952, he entered the United States Army. While in the Army, he served as a helicopter mechanic and company clerk in the Army’s Chemical Corp, aboard Dugway Proving Ground near Tooele, UT. While home on leave from the Army, John married Rosie on November 28, 1953, at St. Anthony's church in Morris, Indiana -- this coming November would have marked their 70th Wedding Anniversary--! The newlyweds set up housekeeping in Utah and welcomed their firstborn, Joseph, in 1955. A family tale holds that John passed out in the delivery room on the arrival of baby Joe. After his enlistment ended, John, Rosie, and baby Joe, returned to Batesville, IN, where he joined his father in the family business machine shop and foundry of Batesville Ornamental Works. This was the very beginning of Batesville Products, Inc. (BPI), today located in Lawrenceburg and Aurora, Indiana!

As the family business grew, John and his brother, Neal, moved Batesville Products (BPI) to Lawrenceburg in 1961. At that same time, John moved his young and growing family of five children to Robinson Drive in Greendale. A few years after the move, the family welcomed number six, making a good balance with 3 boys and 3 girls.

At one point, John held a few different jobs that included the John Hancock Insurance Company and the General Motors Foundry in Bedford, Indiana. In 1965, Mr. Justin Weber came to Lawrenceburg and partnered with the Laugle family at BPI. Justin and John would go on together to build a very noteworthy business over the years. That partnership was the perfect blending of their strengths and personalities that continued throughout their lives. To this day, the Weber family continues to grow BPI, building on our (mutual) fathers' legacy, earning an excellent reputation in the metal casting industry.

John generously gave of his time, talent, and treasure to the community throughout his life. He was a member of the American Legion for 60 years, serving in the Color Guard and other positions across the seasons! He was also a member of the Jaycees, Kiwanis, and Toastmasters. He coached boys Little League, Babe Ruth, and Knot Hole baseball teams. Seeing no sports available for his girls, he started from scratch, scheduled, umpired, and ran the Kiwanis’ Girls Softball League of Dearborn County for more than 15 years at the old Greendale Little League Park! He was a referee for high school basketball games across the state. And, when he wasn’t refereeing, he was driving the bus for the boys’ high school CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) basketball team at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Lawrenceburg.

In some ways, he seemed to live vicariously through, and very proudly acknowledged his kids’ activities and sports. There was one football season at Lawrenceburg High School where he had THREE of his kids on the field at one time! Joe was a senior playing on the varsity football team and provided a real “proud dad moment” catching a long pass. Then Mag and Jeanette were on the field as part of the Mighty Marching Tigers band; Mag with the Tigerettes and Jeanette playing alto-saxophone. All the kids picked up at least one musical instrument and the accompanying lessons and recitals. He let his children know he noticed them and that they mattered.

For most people, that would be enough to keep them busy. Yet, John taught himself to play guitar in his late thirties. He built his skill and confidence to the point the family formed their own entertainment group of “The Laugle Family Singers!” Throughout the late 1960’s and early 1970’s the family performed locally between Southeast Indiana and Cincinnati, Ohio. Everybody “sang” – John played his guitar, Rosie the tambourine, Joe the electric guitar and wild hair, Mag piano, Jeanette guitar, Beth carried the (tune) bucket, Jim on the drums, and Jeff was the “cute” one. Picture Rosie in her beehive hairdo and cat glasses, with six kids around – girls in calico skirts with peasant blouses and the boys in black pants, white shirts with bolo ties, singing Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary”! The family learned a lot about music appreciation, how to recognize talent, and patience with each other. The neighborhood kids got a show, with chins on the windowsill peeping through the front picture window--which served as a mirror for rehearsals–. Even though the Laugle Family Singers never made ‘the big time’, it was a fond experience on which to reflect. It also “set the stage” for future musical endeavors.

John further used his musical talent to start the very first guitar group to sing regularly at masses in St. Lawrence Church, where his family was long-time members. At that time, it was a shock to many that there would be guitars (who ever heard of such a thing) in church (of all places)! By the time he left, there were many people to let him know how much that music opened them up to their faith walk, when little else reached their heart. His musical ministry there lasted for 35 years and continues to this day! It is also important to note that John lived his faith as he believed. He and Rosie would counsel many couples preparing for marriage in the Catholic church.

All the Laugle children attended St. Lawrence Catholic Grade School in Lawrenceburg. John had an interesting relationship with the nuns and administrators at the school, having such a large contingent of kids. If one kid became sick, it easily was a contagion throughout the home and school. He became known for his sense of humor which the nuns didn’t fully appreciate. More than one Sunday after church, one of the sisters would pull John’s ear down to her level, while she dragged him off to the side, so he could “explain himself.” His tall tales to the kids said that nuns wore black habits so they could rob the grocery store at night to get food because they didn’t have any money; an Epistle was the wife of an Apostle; saints were canonized by shooting their bones from a canon. He also had to handle matters when the kids got called to the school office, especially when one of the boys loudly commented that the nun’s feet stank! The Laugle children could not get away with anything at that school. It didn’t matter too much that Rosie was President of the PTO. It also didn’t help that their next-door neighbor was one of the teachers there and she was good friends with both John and Rosie; they knew what happened BEFORE the kids ever got home.

John was a man of integrity, a servant – he taught the same to his kids and others. He led volunteers to the Muscatatuck State Hospital to play with and entertain patients there. Friday evenings during harvest season, he would take volunteers to the migrant camp near Sunman, Indiana to play with the families and kids there and take them snacks and toys. He also was one of the co-founders, in the early 1970’s, of the Dearborn County Right to Life organization.

With all the busyness of his life, John knew how best to relax. His first-favorite place was his backyard, covered patio of the family home in Greendale! That was the site of MANY get-togethers including immediate and extended family, neighbors, friends, whomever, for holidays, birthdays, special occasions, or even no occasion at all. He had a unique ability to make you feel welcome! He even went so far as to unofficially “adopt” the friends of his own (then grown) kids, who were “geographic orphans”, away from their own families; they would get invites to all the parties, as if they were blood family. He continued that practice, to the end; his kids’ families are carrying on that tradition by “adopting” their own “geographic orphans”. Fire up the grill (don’t leave the meat unattended or some neighbor’s dog might get it). Get out the horseshoes, corn hole, and other yard games. Have a beer. Sit, visit, and laugh!

Another one of his favorite things to do was to load up the family camper and head out to a campground within an hour or two of home. Most weekends through the warmer months, you could find him playing his guitar around a campfire, next to the camper, getting that week’s neighbors to join in a sing-along. He also made the kids feel special by including them in his annual vacations. The family traveled with the camper(s) all over the Eastern United States. Over the years, from Greendale, they traveled to the East coast of South Carolina for deep sea fishing, the northern most tip of the Michigan U.P., the Great Smoky Mountains, the rolling hills of Missouri, all the way down to southern Florida, and everywhere in between.

EVERY trip had an educational element to it. If it wasn’t a museum or a historical site, it definitely had a strong impact on the kids' futures as powerful life lessons. One of the most memorable was a very young Jeff holding his dad’s hand on Flagler Beach, FL, and listening to him explain how that point of light blasting off into the sky, had 3 astronauts on top of it, heading to the moon to land there for the first-time ever in the history of all mankind! Then, in one of the following years, stopping by the Wright Brother’s Memorial in Kitty Hawk, NC to see where the whole business of flying began. These kinds of experiences laid the foundation for his son Jeff’s career as a U.S. Naval Aviator.

John and Rosie didn’t limit their travel to just taking the kids on vacation. Their Amway business with FTB and Network21 friends allowed them to visit Hawaii a dozen times, Gatlinburg about the same, Acapulco a few times, the Caribbean a couple of times, a couple of cruises, and many major cities across the country. As their children dispersed across the country serving in the military, far and wide, they made many trips to visit them, to see them out in the world making their own way in it. It would not be unusual for them to bring a little bit of “home” to their kids wherever they were serving, to celebrate a holiday. John was very proud of his military lineage instilled in his children or their spouses. This small group of family has over 60 years of combined military service to our country. The four major branches of the military are represented by men of his family. One grandson, Chris Katz is serving today in the U.S. Navy.

John, very specifically, stated he did not have a favorite child, nor did he try to treat each of them fairly. His lesson was, “Life isn’t fair.” Instead, he taught, through his example, to meet them at their point of need. If they needed a car to start their life journey leaving the nest – he took care of that. If they needed appliances for their first home – he took care of that. If they needed rescue – he’d drive half-way across the country to do so. If they needed a place to land, for their grandkids to need a home – they opened their doors and welcomed them back, raising them as if they were their own, but now older and wiser. Too many times, life wasn’t “fair” – he gave many times, with no expectation of ever being repaid. Yet, he found a way to fill the needs of his family as best he could at the time, with the resources he had at the time. When it was his turn to be on the receiving end, he understood how it came around full-circle and he humbly, graciously accepted.

John retired from BPI in March of 2010. At some point in history, each one of his children held their first jobs at BPI, typically starting at the bottom, sweeping the factory floors on any given Saturday morning, or working in any one of the various departments for a summer job. He left behind a legacy of mentorship that is being passed down still today. He always made sure his own family knew how high a regard he held for his business partner, Justin. John repeatedly said how proud he was of Justin’s family (Rick, Jay, Tim, Mac, Tom, Len, and all the family) as they carried on their dad’s vision for the business. John fondly remembered the friendships he developed with the long-time core employees that were the heart and soul of the production processes. From sales bringing in the business, the machine shop building the molds, the foundry pouring the castings, sawing, machining, polishing, plating, assembling, and shipping – all tremendously dedicated, all-star team of employees and management working together for their mutual benefit. These people were his people and he always instilled in his children his highest respect for what the people of BPI meant to him, meant to the family. Over the last few years, he delighted in any news received about the continued progress and success of BPI, because he knew from whence they came, what challenges they faced, and how they made it through. Working there was one of his proudest, most self-satisfying accomplishments!

In early 2015, John and Rosie retired to Virginia Beach, near their son Jeff. While true they physically left the area of Southeastern Indiana, they never forgot where they came from nor the family and friends who remain there. There have been almost daily conversations about the happenings of somebody somewhere back home in Indiana that caught their interest. Rosie would read to him the articles from the Register and Journal Press newspapers, their way of keeping tabs on home.

John never seemed to get fully through the tragic passing of their daughter Jeanette in a 1977 automobile crash; she was just a couple weeks short of turning 19 years old. As you can easily expect, he hurt inside and did his best to hide it. Within a very short period, his hair turned from jet black to silvery white and he just “pressed on”. Even in his later years it was too difficult to talk with any of his family about it. So, he took his pain and turned it into action, following his faith. Whenever he heard of another parent having to experience that same intense grief and sense of loss when losing a child, he would reach out to share his story with them. About a year ago, even as he was dealing with his own bladder cancer diagnosis, he sat with a mother who had lost her daughter and listened to her story. Just him being there listening and sharing, helped her, and others throughout his life, through their own darkest valley. The passing of his son Joe in 2017 was no easier and so much of the old hurt resurfaced. His last, very good, memory of Joe was him visiting in Virginia Beach, in May of that same year, sharing a beer dockside at one of his favorite restaurants on the water. He is with both now.

Of all the interesting and noteworthy things John did throughout his life, perhaps his favorite thing to do, was to fill in (locally) for Santa Claus. From the time his children were very small to well into his 80’s, John “played” Santa. The last several years of his life he REALLY looked the part with a big belly, a full head and natural beard of long, wavy, white hair; he had a great suit, vintage North Pole! He always made a habit of carrying around Santa’s business cards so he could share with parent(s) of a child that might be having a bad day, or a tantrum. It was his way of letting the kids know he was watching out for them. Most recently, he would like to say he was vacationing from the North Pole, in Virginia Beach. It was the Christmas “off-season” and he had to be somewhere… RIGHT?! ...if he (Santa) is “real”! And the small child would agree that it was a good place to be, away from the cold.

And that is the best way to remember him. He was real. Sometimes bigger than life itself.

John Laugle (Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Brother-in-law, Uncle, Cousin, Friend) you are sorely missed by all.

Well done. Rest in peace, good and faithful humble servant.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to:

Indiana Right to Life (https://indianarighttolife.givingfuel.com/donate)

Pregnancy Care Center of Lawrenceburg (https://www.supportpccindiana.org/donate-now.html)

Lawrenceburg American Legion Post 239, 201 2nd Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

Graveside Service and Military Honors at Greendale Cemetery, Saturday, November 18, 2023, 1:00 p.m.

Celebration of Life at Grace Church of the Valley, 1709 Nowlin Ave. Greendale, Sunday, November 19, 2023, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.