TAMA-Denise Michelle Laughlin, 29, of Tama, passed away April 11, 2011 as a result of an automobile accident in Tama County. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 10:30 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Tama. Interment will follow at Carlton Brethren Cemetery in rural Garwin. Visitation will be Friday, April 15, 2011 from 4-7 PM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Tama.
Denise was born on June 2, 1981, in Des Moines, Iowa, the daughter of Donald and Kym (Donovan) Laughlin.
She graduated from South Tama High School in the Class of 2000. As a senior, she was selected to play on the U.S. Jr. Olympic Volleyball Team while traveling Europe, where they won the Gold Medal. Denise was scheduled to graduate with honors April 29, 2011 from Mercy College in Des Moines with a degree in Sonography. She had just accepted a job at Phoenix Prenatal Associates in Arizona. Denise loved to travel and touched many lives in her journeys. Her greatest joy was spending time with her daughter, family and friends, and playing volleyball and golf.
Preceding her in death were her great-grandparents, Lester and Sarah Laughlin, John and Leona Rusk, Leo and Millie Donovan and Floyd Cutler; two great uncles, Floyd Cutler Jr. and Jerry Donovan; and one great aunt, Linda Koch.
Survivors include her daughter, Kayleah Patience Laughlin at home; her mother, Kym (Mike) Stein of Tama; her father, Don (Tina) Laughlin of Fairfield; three brothers, Chris Laughlin of Tama, Dillon and Ryan Laughlin of Fairfield; her grandparents, Cheryl Hill and Dick (Carole) Donovan, Floyd (Jeane) Laughlin; her great-grandmother, Vivian Cutler; her aunts and uncles, Patty (Glenn) Pettit, Marie (Mike) Hummell and Barry (Connie Rohach) Donovan; numerous other aunts, uncles and cousins.
A memorial fund has been established for her daughter, Kayleah.
Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home, Tama-Toledo is handling the arrangements.