My dad loved to make people laugh, and he was quick with his own smile too.  With that in mind, we didn’t want some generic, newspaper obituary, so I wrote it myself.  It should run in our local paper today.

William H Loughlin (6/05/41) slipped his earthly moorings early Tuesday morning and sailed off to join his parents and brothers on that distant shore. 

Willie, as he was called by those who loved him (and anyone who didn’t) leaves in his wake a legacy of laughter and a love of life that washed over everyone he touched in his passage.  His love of the sea led him to a career in the U.S. Coast Guard, and a strong sense of duty led him to a second career in law enforcement where he served the Pender County Sherriff’s Department, the UNCW Campus Police, and finally the North Carolina Department of Probation and Parole before taking a well-earned retirement.

Waving good-bye from his home port of Wilmington are his wife, Martha, sons Phillip, John David, and Scott, their wives, five grandchildren, two great grand-babies, lots of other family, and a host of friends. 

The family appreciates the thoughtfulness and kindness, but requests that in lieu of flowers, those wishing to memorialize Willie’s last, great voyage do so with a donation to the kind people at Cape Fear Hospice, or to a charity of your choice.  His bon voyage celebration will be held at his home in Castle Hayne, on Saturday, May 1, from 1700 to 1930 (5:00pm-7:30pm).

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