November 16, 2021

John Trent McLaughlin

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February 6, 1940 
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June 24, 2021
      
      
      
      
John Trent McLaughlin - 2008     
photos by Styrous®      
      
      
Last week I heard the news of the passing of John; as we had been friends for over seventy years, it struck me deeply.        

We became friends at the Mission Dolores grammar school in the mid-forties. Due to circumstances, my folks had to take me out of parochial school and transferred me to public school. John and I lost touch at that point.         

Six or so years later we met again when I went to Polytechnic high school (link below) and we picked up our friendship again. He had become friends with John Ferretti and the three of us became inseparable; by the time we got to our senior year, we were a wild trio!    
 
 
Poly High School 1958 yearbook photos
 




When we graduated from high school in 1958, the three of us got a five room apartment on Nob Hill; the rent was $75 a month or $25 for each of us! I was making $125 a month so I had a hundred to spend as I pleased. I lived like a king. However, Ferretti got drafted; John couldn't afford splitting the rent two ways and i couldn't afford the place by myself so we split up again but stayed in touch this time.    

In 1959 John met Chris, whose last name I can't remember, and they got married. They had an adorable little boy they named Brian.          
 
The photos below are from one evening we spent together in 1960; it was just about this time of year during the holidays. They are scans of 3-D slides I took (link below) which I gave to John years ago. If I find others, I'll add them.           


1960








John and Chris split up at some point and she took Brian with her. Once again, John and I lost contact with each other until around 2000 when we reconnected again but I can't remember how.     

Our friendship was interrupted physically in 2020 because of COVID-19 but we talked on the phone sporadically until June of this year when I stopped hearing from him entirely. I discovered his phone was disconnected and he didn't reply to my emails. Last week a friend suggested I Google his name, which I did; it's how I discovered he has gone on to the next plane of existence (link below).       

So, it seems our lives have been destined to cross no matter how much time passes or what happens. We have been friends again and again for over seventy years but it seems like a blink of an eye.       

 

This is how I will always remember him


 
Adios hasta la próxima, John! 

 

 

Viewfinder link:           
           
The Poly Math      
Stereogram            
      

Net link:           
 
Dignity Memorial ~ John Trent McLaughlin
 
 
 

     
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, November 16, 2021   
      



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1 comment:

  1. Max, this is Bryan McLaughlin, I would love to thank you for the wonderful comments, I’m amazed at the photos, I hadn’t seen them before

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