Obituary

Hilda Laughlin’s Life

Hilda Laughlin passed away on Friday, July 26, at the age of 97. Born at home on March 3, 1927, in Los Angeles, California, Hilda was the beloved daughter of Anita and Carlos Perez and a cherished sister to three siblings. Her parents moved to California from Arizona in 1923, encouraged by the Moreno family on Anita’s side, who sought a better life in the Golden State.

As a child, Hilda had a deep love for the outdoors, spending much time at her Nina’s ranch in Leona Valley with her siblings and cousins. She studied ballet and tap dance as a young girl and excelled in sports, proudly playing on the basketball team at Wilson High School in 1944. With encouragement from her older brother Chuck to continue with college where he attended, she completed her academic studies and earned an Associate in Arts degree from Los Angeles City College on January 27, 1949.

It was in college that Hilda noticed James Laughlin, as he continued to get up and walk past her to sharpen his pencils. At first, she found it very odd but decided to invite him to become a member of the Newman Catholic Club on campus with her and her sister and brother. Their romance blossomed, leading to a beautiful marriage in 1950 that lasted 69 years. They began their life together in a little cottage in Burbank, California, but soon moved to San Francisco and Studio City until they settled in the San Gabriel Valley while raising their three children: their late son Daniel, Kathy, and Tim. Over the years, Hilda balanced her roles as a devoted housewife and a dedicated secretary for the engineering firm CF Braun in Alhambra, California. Their love for the beach led Hilda and Jim to purchase their home in Newport Beach, where they laid down roots for the past 47 years.

Hilda and Jim shared a passion for traveling, often embarking on road trips across the United States with their dear friends Max, Betty, Pat, Patty, Donna, and Charlie, taking cruises to Alaska, and exploring Jim’s roots in Ireland and Washington to name just a few. Later in life, Hilda and her husband became very social with their friends and family, enjoying champagne mimosas, which earned her the nickname “Grandma Mosa” from some of her grandchildren. Above all, Hilda treasured the company of her family and went to great lengths to always celebrate the many milestones of all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Hilda was known for her impeccable self-care, always eating like a bird and keeping herself beautifully groomed with weekly hair appointments at the beauty parlor and her signature turtleneck or scarf. Hilda left a lasting impression on those she met; some mentions of her were “So Classy,” “So Spicy,” and “So Sophisticated,” to name a few.

Hilda was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Together, she and her husband Jim cared for and managed the handlings for her elderly parents through their senior years until death. Her family remembers her as an model of love, dedication, and integrity. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Hilda is survived by her daughter Kathleen Bravo and son Tim Laughlin; grandchildren Tnah, Gabriel, DJ, Josh, Katie and Tara; and great-grandchildren Roméo, Domenico, Paolo, Nicolai, Seamus, Aiden, Killian, Teagan, Tommy, and Gavin. She was preceded in death by her husband James Laughlin, son Daniel Laughlin, and grandchildren Sarah, Steven, and Jacob.