Margarette Swindell Laughinghouse, age 94, of Pantego, died Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, at home.

A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, at the Pantego Christian Church and will be conducted by the Rev. Jim Bussell. Interment will be at the Belhaven Community Cemetery.

Born on her family’s farm to Allen Derwood and Lizzie Harris Swindell, she grew up at her father’s side learning the business of farming. She graduated from Pantego High School in 1941 and went on to Woman’s College in Greensboro, NC (now UNC-G). After graduation in 1945 with a B.S. in business, she returned to the family farm to be the bookkeeper. In 1947, she and Fernie C. Laughinghouse were married and they shared sixty years together until his death in 2007. She became the grain merchandiser for the farm and the family grain elevator.

Over the years, she was awarded a number of accolades for her involvement in farming and agriculture. Among them are: Founding Director of the United Soybean Board; NC Agribusiness Council Governor’s Award; Certificate of Appreciation to the State of NC awarded by Gov. James G. Martin; inducted into the honor Society of Agriculture — Gamma Sigma Delta; Inducted as a Charter Member of the NC 4-H Hall of Fame.

Survivors include one son, Durwood S. Laughinghouse and his wife, Connie, of Raleigh; one daughter, Dianne L. Bowen and her husband, Neil, of Pantego; three granddaughters, Dr. Emily L. Brazik and her husband, Dr. David Brazik, of Castle Hayne, Laura L. Hrdina and her husband, Jason, of Chapel Hill, and Kathryn Margarette Bowen, of Pantego; three great-grandchildren, Grayson and Quinn Brazik and Seneca Hrdina. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fernie, and a foster sister, Retha Waters Benson.

Pallbearers will be Stephen Fletcher, III, Jim King, Jeremy King, Britt Laughinghouse, Ricky Keech, Milton Prince, Tommy Edwards and Troy Slager.

The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, at Paul Funeral Home in Belhaven.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Pantego Christian Church, P. O. Box 141, Pantego, NC 27860 or the charity of one’s choice.

Paul Funeral Home of Belhaven is honored to serve the Laughinghouse Family.