Again, Death has come for one of our number, this time under such tragic circumstances that the shock has been too great to be described. On Wednesday, May 27, the news came that there had been an explosion in the coal mine at Coal Glen, and that John Laubscher was in the mine. Then followed, hours, days of suspense such as had never been known to us before, days in which we waited, eager for the latest word from the scene of the disaster, horrified at the news when it came, news that drove away the faint hope to which he had tenaciously clung, the hope that, somehow, some out of the scores of entombed miners might be safe, might escape with their lives, and that the boy from our midst might be one of the number.
On Thursday evening, news came that the body had been located, and Friday morning we heard that it had been recovered the previous night. That morning it was right from the Sanford undertaking establishment to the home from which it had gone out on Sunday evening before, full of life and hope. The first plans were to hold the funeral on Sunday afternoon in order that a brother might reach here form Kansas City, Mo., but later it was deemed wise to hold it sooner, so on Saturday morning a crowd of heart-broken relatives and sorrowing friends assembled at Johnson’s Grove cemetery a mile from town for the last sad rites for this beloved young man. The service was conducted by his pastor, Rev. E. McWhorter, assisted by Rev. D. McD. Monroe of the Presbyterian church. The pall bearers were three of John’s classmates, Robert Leslie, Frederick Taylor and Billie McGill; his Sunday school teacher, C.L. Tyson; Prof. W.D. Matthews and Royce Bird. “Does Jesus Care,” “Beautiful River,” and “Nearer My god to Thee” were softly and sweetly sung during the service. The floral offerings were unusually beautiful, and were carried by four classmates of the deceased, Ila Evans, Frances Blue, Agnes Smith, and Myrtle Cameron, and a number of other school friends. A beautiful pillow, sent by his class, was lovingly placed at the head of the grave by two of the girls who had gone through the trials and pleasures of high school life with him.
There are may hearts that are torn and bleeding on account of John’s death, but our sorrow is not the agonized sorrow that it would be had his life been less noble. Early in life John had chosen the better way, and his life had been such that he held the love and respect of all with whom he came in contact and especially of those who had lived near him all his life. He was a member of the 1924 class of Vass-Lakeview High school and was very popular with pupils and faculty. He went in for athletics and was a valued member of the team, one who could be depended on to play a clean straight game. In speaking of the boy, Prof. Matthews, who has been principal of the school every year except one since John became of school age, said that John had never given him any trouble, and that he was the most popular boy who had ever gone out from the school on an athletic team, the most popular with the boys who played on other teams.
He was a member of the Vass Methodist church and was a faithful attendant at Sunday school. A former teacher remarked to the writer that John was a good boy, always so attentive in class.
But it is in the home that he will be most sadly missed, for his was the strong arm upon which the mother and father and younger children depended in large measure, and the Sundays that he spent at home were the brightest spots in their lives. He was a good son, helpful, obedient, generous, and his tenderness and gentleness in ministering to his invalid father were remarkable.
Our hearts were made sad by this going, but isn’t it a beautiful thought that he had made good use of the 19 years entrusted to him and had built a character against which no one can bright aught? How much better and more inspiring is a short life spent in living out the Christian principle of service for others than a life of many years of wasted opportunities!
Besides the parents, Mr. and Mrs. G.B. Laubscher, five brothers, Alvin, George, Robert, Paul and Harry, and two sisters, Anna and Emily, and numerous other relatives survive.
Much sympathy is felt for the Laubscher family, and all the families broken up by this disaster; also for the owners of the mine, who have been so tireless in their efforts to do everything in their power for the relief and comfort of the bereaved.
From the front page of The Pilot, Friday, June 5, 1925
To see a photograph of John Laubscher, go to newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073968/1925-06-05/ed-1/seq-1/#words=JUNE+5%2C+1925
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