– February 26, 2025

William “Bill” Cundall Laughlin, 89, of Zephyr Cove, NV, passed away at home on February 26th. Bill was born to Fred Earl Laughlin and Margaret Louise Cundall in Alameda, CA August 27, 1935. Laughlin joined the Navy in 1953 upon graduating from high school in Danville, CA. Serving as a Radio Repairman in the Pacific fleet, he earned Petty Officer- First Class in only four years. It was during this time that Bill visited San Francisco’s Buena Vista, becoming a lifelong devotee to making the perfect Irish Coffee. Bill was a loving husband of Leslie (Wood) Laughlin, married in 1958 until her passing in 1993. Bill and Leslie raised their two sons, David and John with whom eventually settled in Zephyr Cove in 1975. Following his Naval service, Bill matriculated at the University of California in Berkley where he earned a bachelor of science in Chemical Engineering. He started his career in Chemical Engineering at the 3M corporation, eventually finding employment with Donald Bently, originally working out of Don’s garage in Berkeley. Bill eventually followed Mr. Bently to Nevada to work for him at the Bently Nevada Corporation in the Carson Valley. It was during this employment that Bill earned his credentials as an industrial hygienist and served as such for Mr. Bently until Bill’s retirement in 2003.
A favorite spot for Bill was the JT Basque Bar and Dining Room in Gardnerville.
In 1994, Bill was then married to Jane (Holcomb) Foerschler and they spent the next 30 years in love until Janie’s passing seven weeks prior to Bill’s. Bill inherited Janie’s small family of her four children; Dana, Darren, Denise, and Derek. Bill often joked about the ‘2-for-1’ coupon he used on his first date with Janie was the most expensive meal of his life!
Upon his retirement from Bently Nevada, Bill became a full-time Ford Model-A enthusiast. Bill and Janie first started touring the country’s highways and byways in the late 1990s in their beloved Daisy, a beautiful 1930 Coupe. By the conclusion of Bill’s final Nevada Day Parade tour, he and Janie had three Model A’s which they drove across the US (multiple times), through Canada and on up to and back from Alaska, across Australia and New Zealand, the Hawaiian Islands, and nearly every Nevada Day Parade from 1996 to 2024.
Bill Laughlin was a truly good, honorable, and loving human who took in so many as his own family. He was an individual of bottomless generosity and ceaseless motion of determined tinkering and repair of all things. Bill was known to be as happy touring in his Model A with his trusty companion Janie as he was with a book in hand, his black dog, Magic by his side as he enjoyed a daily stew in the hot tub. A better man nor more loved Grandpa has not been known.
Bill Cundall Laughlin is survived by his son David Laughlin, his daughter Katie (David; Landon, Tatum), his stepchildren Dana Buchholz (Boyd; Spenser, Colin, Nicholaus, Kody), Darren Foerschler (Debi; Tiffany (Alex and Izabella) Marcus, Devin, Warren, Cody (Amanda), Ryan), Denise Foerschler, and Derek Foerschler (Charlotte; Dean, Grace), and others through marriage.
He was predeceased by his parents, Fred and Margaret, his wife Leslie, his son John, his sister Marian, his second wife, Janie, and his beloved Magic.
A memorial service for both Bill and Janie will be held at Saint John’s in the Wilderness Episcopal Church at 1776 US-50, Glenbrook, NV 89413 on April 26th at 11 a.m. Reception to follow at 180 Carson Dr., Zephyr Cove.