Obituary of William "Bill" Morris Laubach

William "Bill" Morris Laubach was born on January 1, 1938, in Ponca City, Oklahoma to Neal Bruce Laubach and Barbara Morris Laubach. Bill was the middle child of five children. As a youngster, Bill lived with his family in Ponca City, where he, his sister Barbara, and older brother Bruce were born. Thereafter, the family moved to Pelham, New York; Newtonville, Massachusetts; La Porte, Texas; and the Piney Point area of Houston, Texas in 1944, where Jim and Julie were born. Bill attended Spring Branch Elementary School, where he set a record for "standing in the corner" and having the "most broken paddles" of any student. He attended St. John's School in Houston, Texas and graduated in 1956. He won the best actor award from the Johnny Cake Association for his portrayal of Elwood Dowd in "Harvey". In addition to being a top-notch actor, he knew his first love was to become an Attorney. Bill is of the old school - a fine, loving, ethical, honest, and decent man. Bill attended University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Texas at Austin, earning a Bachelor of Arts in 1960. He then graduated from SMU Dedman Law School in 1963 as Juris Doctor; Attorney and Counselor of Law of the Bar of the State of Texas in 1963; the Bar of the State of Florida in 1994 representing the PBA of Pinellas County, Florida; and the Bar of the State of Colorado in 2016. Bill and Gail were married in 1975 on Galveston Island, Texas and raised a blended family of four children in La Porte, Texas for eighteen years, and then moved to St. Petersburg, Florida after all the children graduated college. They loved living on Sunset Beach, Treasure Island for twelve years, and joined St. Alban's Episcopal Church on St. Pete Beach. They then moved back to Texas in 2005 and lived in the Hill Country until 2014. They joined Trinity Episcopal church in Marble Falls, Texas, where Bill completed Education for Ministry - sponsored by the School of Theology, the University of the South, Sewanee in 2010. They moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2014 and joined Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, where Bill undertook revising and editing "Planning a Graceful Exit" in corroboration with Larry Gaddis. Bill passed peacefully on November 10, 2022, after a struggle with small cell bladder cancer, surrounded by his daughter, Anna Streiffer Laubach; son, Will J. Laubach; and wife, Gail C. Laubach. Bill was an extraordinary man and attorney, who was witty, amusing, and a most ethical man. He was a wonderful grandfather to Anna's son, Benjamin, and Will's sons, Neal and John, and most enjoyed his stepchildren, Christopher (Lily) Upshaw, and their children, Amanda and Jacob; and James (Leigh) Upshaw, and their children, Toby and Brantley. They called him 'Chef Bill ar Dee' for his love of grilling baby-back ribs, ribeye steak, and corn on the cob for them. Bill is survived by his wife of forty-seven years, Gail Laubach; his brothers, Bruch (Mary Lou) Laubach, and James (Jessica) Laubach; his sister, Julie (Kerry) Smith; his daughter, Anna (Josh), and her son, Benjamin; his son, Will (Sara) and his sons, Neal and John; his grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Bill is preceded in death by his mother and father; his sister, Barbara Warren; and his first wife, Sandra Wade Laubach Mahon, who passed in July 2022. Celebration of life, 10:00AM-12:00PM, Saturday, December 10, 2022, Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 601 North Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903. Interment to follow, Chapel Columbarium "Garden", Northwest property, 8 Fourth Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80906. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Grace & St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Rector's Discretionary Fund in Colorado Springs, and to Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care. Events Celebration of Life Saturday, December 10, 2022 10:00AM - 12:00PM Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church 601 North Tejon Street Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone: 719-328-1793