Vivian L. Laughlin

Vivian Lucille Damuth Laughlin of Austin, Texas, formidable and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and schoolteacher, left this earth on February 17th, 2014, shortly after joyfully celebrating her 90th birthday with the family she lived for.

Vivian was born on January 30th, 1924 in Iowa City, Texas, the second of five children to Robert Lee and Tanie Mae Damuth. Early on, she lived among many cousins near Tomball, Texas, with whom she remained in contact throughout her life. Her family moved around the state with her father’s work in the oil fields, and moved to East Texas as she entered 7th Grade. In 1937, Vivian survived the New London school explosion, a tragedy that claimed her sister, Jane, and over 300 others. In high school, she was on the pep squad, played the French horn in band, and was captain of the volleyball team.

After graduating from high school, Vivian met and married her husband Harlan in 1942, and set out on her life as the wife of an Air Force officer. She worked during Harlan’s World War II deployment, and after the war, gave birth to sons Harlan Lee and Dick. Vivian and her family travelled the country and the world, living in the Philippines, several states, and eventually, Spain. While raising her family amidst all these moves, Vivian earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Washburn University in 1960 and a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Omaha in 1963.

Vivian and Harlan settled in Austin in 1968 upon their return from Spain, and after obtaining her teaching credentials at the University of Texas, Vivian began her career teaching Special Education in Round Rock. With relentless professionalism, compassion and patience, Vivian helped many children with disabilities and disadvantaged backgrounds learn to the best of their abilities, and they often kept in touch after they graduated.

With big hair, a vivacious personality and an iconoclastic insistence on her way of doing things, Vivian was the quintessential Texas grandma (“Memaw” to her “grand-babies”), and after retiring from teaching in 1989, she devoted her considerable energies to her family. She kept her home meticulously as a warm and welcoming place. She dispensed wisdom with tenderness when asked for advice. She was the loudest voice in the room when the Longhorns scored. And with a formidable, unconditional love, she carried her family through times of adversity. A devout Christian, she lived out her faith humbly. Now she lives with God.

Vivian gave her all for her family to the very end of her life, and that family, which includes her sons, grandchildren, great-grandchildren (who she adored), and a large extended family, and which knows her as Mother, Sis, Memaw, and Aunt Cille, will greatly miss her. Visitation will take place from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on February 21, 2014 at the Cook Walden Funeral Home (6100 N Lamar, Austin, Texas). The memorial service will take place at 2:00 PM on February 22nd, 2014, also at the Cook Walden Funeral Home, with internment following at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery.