Delbert Lester Laughery

March 4, 1939–April 2, 2022

Delbert "Deb" Lester Laughery died Saturday; April 2, 2022 due to complications of a stroke. He had just celebrated his 83rd birthday.

Deb was born in Dayton, Wash., to George Delbert Laughery and Genevia Juanita (Walls) Laughery on March 4, 1939. He grew up in Dayton, graduating Dayton High School and enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1957.

He married his high school sweetheart, Zelda Elaine Epperson, in 1958. Together, they lived coast-to-coast, overseas and raised two children, Delbert and Kris. Deb and Elaine were married for 51 years before Elaine's death in 2010.

He was proud of his Air Force career, always saying he would go back in a heartbeat, commenting further, "If you want to start a war, I will happily run it for you." During his 21 years of service Deb served in Vietnam as a 7th Air Force Controller, Strategic Air Command within various ground and "Looking Glass" aerial command post roles, and as a member of the Battle Staff of the National Command Authority aboard the National Emergency Airborne Command Post.

Deb retired from the Air Force in 1978, returning home to the Dayton and Walla Walla area. After his military service he found the next closest career; the Walla Walla Police Department and then the Olympia Police Department from which he retired in 2004.

Deb is preceded in death by his parents, George Delbert Laughery and Genevia Juanita (Walls) Laughery, and his wife, Zelda Elaine Laughery.

He is survived by his son, Delbert Dayne (Kelly) Laughery of Columbia, Conn., his daughter, Kris Elaine (Len) Mizutowicz of Everett, Wash., his grandchildren, Monica Nicole Dawson, Sirrah Lynn (William) Galligan, Charisse Marie Laughery, and Travis Andrew (Chloe) Mandeville, and his great-granddaughter Elara Lynn Galligan.

Deb and Elaine will be interred at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Wash.

"Lord love a duck," he will be missed.