Judith Lue (Spauling) Laughlin

Judith (Judie) Lue Spaulding Laughlin passed away peacefully on August 24, 2023, at Chinook Place in Madras, Oregon.

Judie was born November 23, 1940, in Long Beach, California to Bette Simpson Spaulding and Carl F. Spaulding, Jr. Carl was in the Army and was stationed in Long Beach when Judie was born. They moved to The Dalles, OR in 1946 where she attended grade school and Junior High. She took piano lessons as a child and regretted not continuing with that skill only to replace it with her love of dance at an early age and took dance lessons from Eleanor Borg in The Dalles. Judie graduated from Heppner High School in 1958 where she had moved in her sophomore year. She quickly became a loved member of the class and was cheerleader for the Heppner Mustangs. The class of 1958 was a very close-knit group and stayed that way throughout their lives, raising their children together even if they moved out of Heppner.

She was married to William W. Brannon and had a daughter Tamila Kay in 1958. They soon divorced and Judie and Tami moved to Eugene so Judie could attend U of O Art School. They lived with Judie’s Aunt Barbara (Simpson) and Erv Larsen. Her high school classmate, Butch Laughlin came back into the picture, and they married in 1963. The family was completed with the arrival of Lottie Lynn in 1963 and Robert Shane in 1964.

Judie had a love for her family, friends and community that filled her life to the fullest. She belonged to Soroptimist International, Willow Valley Service Club, 4 Corners Snowmobile Club, St. Patrick’s Celebration Committee and St. Patrick Catholic Church where she served many of the office positions. As well as being a 4-H leader for many years and even taught Shane how to sew.

She was the office manager for Heppner Cable TV that her father Carl started in 1956. Judie also worked for Columbia Basin Electric and the Morrow County Judge’s office. Judie was best known for her artistic abilities and shared them throughout her life. Many of the St. Patrick’s Day decorations used yearly in Heppner she made. The St. Patrick’s Day buttons sold during the celebration she designed and made for many years. She loved stamping and created beautiful cards that were given to family and friends and shared with the Hospice Program in Morrow County. The was nothing she couldn’t craft, paint, sew or draw. J

udie was preceded in death by her husband, Butch in April of this year. They were fortunate to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this March.

She is survived by daughter Tami and Rodney Berthold of Mosier and their children, Jarren, Nick and Wes, daughter, Lottie and Kirk Holcomb of Madras, their children Melissa, Keri and Kevin, son, Shane of Heppner. She has 6 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild, a sister Janice Harper of Pendleton and her children Haylee and Willie.

A funeral mass will be held for Judie Laughlin 11 a.m., Saturday, September 30, 2023 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Heppner followed by inurnment for Judie and Butch at the Heppner Masonic Cemetery with a luncheon at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall.

Contributions in Judie’s memory can be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 147 SE 102nd Ave., Portland, OR 97216 or the American Heart Association, 4380 S Macadam Ave. #480, Portland, OR 97239 or St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Memorial fund, PO Box 633, Heppner, OR 97836 or a charity of your choice.

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