Corinne King Laughlin

Corinne King Laughlin was born on July 10, 1919, in Ozark, Arkansas, and she died on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at her life-long family home on King’s Mountain in Ozark. She resided in Fort Smith, Arkansas from 1940 until 2008 when she moved back to Ozark. She attended school in Ozark and in Okemah, Oklahoma, before graduating from Denver East High School in 1936. At the University of Arkansas, she was a Razorback cheerleader in the fall of 1937 and was initiated as a member of Chi Omega Fraternity in January, 1938. She was a supportive member of Chi Omega for 78 years. Corinne loved dancing and was a dance teacher for several years, an adviser to the cheerleading squad at Ramsey Junior High School and the founder and first director of the drill team at Southside High School in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She was an avid bridge player throughout her life, and could often be found Wednesday afternoons playing cards with good friends at Hardscrabble Country Club. She loved parties and had many cherished friends. She married Cecil Laughlin, Jr., in 1939 in Dallas, Texas, before moving to Fort Smith. Corinne was a homemaker and mother to her six children for many years before she was employed as an interior decorator for the Norman Company. In 1963 she opened Corinne Laughlin Interiors and operated this business until her retirement in 2003. Corinne loved to travel, both with friends on memorable trips and also with her brother Carter, with whom she visited destinations throughout the Western United States, Hawaii, and the Far East. Corinne was preceded in death by her parents, Carter B. King, Sr. and Ruth Adams King of Ozark. She is survived by her brother, Carter B. King, Jr., by her children Carter King Laughlin and his wife, Linda; Suzanne Laughlin Hawkins and her husband, Bill; Cecil Laughlin III and his wife, Missy; Kendall Adams Laughlin and his wife, Lisa; Brent Walker Laughlin and his wife, Lucia; and Lisa Ruth Laughlin Pullen and her husband, Bob and by 15 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. A funeral service to celebrate Corinne’s life will be held at the First Methodist Church of Ozark, Arkansas on Saturday, January 19, at 1:00 p.m. Pallbearers are eight of Corinne’s grandsons, Carter King Laughlin, II, Bryan Hawkins, William Hawkins, Shand Laughlin, Kendall Laughlin, Jr., Thomas King Laughlin, Bishop Laughlin, and Blanton Pullen. Honorary Pallbearers are Shepherd Laughlin, grandson, Franklin Hawkins, and Lonnie Turner. The family wishes to thank Corinne’s dedicated and caring persons who have been so helpful and thoughtful these past few years, Karen Miranda, Bea Taylor and Sue and Don Robinson. Thank you for helping our mother. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Chi Omega Fraternity Foundation, Chi Omega Executive Headquarters, 3395 Players Club Parkway, Memphis, Tennessee 38125; to the Junior League of Fort Smith 311 Garrison Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901; or to the First Methodist Church of Ozark, 503 West Commercial, Ozark, Arkansas 72949.