Beatrice Pearl Hibbard, Ph.D.

At thirteen minutes after the eleventh hour, during the evening of the thirteenth day of the eleventh month, of the year two-thousand twelve, my mother, Pearl finished her time here with us and went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Heaven above. It was said by someone to Pearl's son Timothy, that God wanted for her to spend Thanksgiving with him since it was her favorite holiday. Praise be to God the Father for sharing His Pearl with us. Pearl lived a life filled with selfless love and a level of enthusiasm that many would envy and strive for. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you Aunt Estrellita (Pearl's sister) for providing the following additional material. (edited from her guestbook entry) Please be patient with me as this is still being edited. -TN Beatrice Pearl Hibbard, Ph.D. was born on January 4, 1940 in Pittsfield (Berkshire) Massachusetts. She was baptized in January 1940 in St. Helena Episcopal Church, New Lenox, Massachusetts. She was a member of the Seventh Day Baptist Church. Pearl was also baptized by immersion in the Alfred 7th Day Baptist Church by Rev. Everett Harris. Pearl graduated from Southeastern High School in Hammond, Louisiana as an honor roll student. She played the piano, oboe, flute and the harp, which she picked up again within the last ten years. She was blessed with musical talents. Pearl and her brother Lewis played many duets on the piano. She also played for the Seventh Day Baptist Church in Hammond, Louisiana. Pearl and her sister Estrellita used to sing many duets for their special music programs. Pearl and Estrellita were very close growing up. They joined the Girl Scouts together and entered all the talent singing competitions and won! She was a synchronized swimmer and was awarded so many badges. She was always there to help me (Estrellita) through some things I had problems in doing, since I could not walk much with one leg being shorter than the other. When it came to domestic work, she would do her famous magic act and would mysteriously disappear in the blink of an eye. There was a lot of work with eight of us. One day I was in the kitchen and was boiling some hot water. I was trying to carry it to the sink. I lost my grip and it spilled all over my leg. I screamed and cried. Out of nowhere, Pearl came. She hugged and kissed me, looked me over and helped me to her bike and told me to hold tight and took me to the hospital for treatment. When we came back and chores had to be done, she was gone again. There was another side of Pearl. She had a strong will and stubborn side. Things had to go her way. In New York, we used to go for a ride after church every Sabbath afternoon. Whenever we took a short family trip, there was always a fight as to who was going to drive. Pearl wanted it her way or she was not going. Dad would say, "We all go or no one goes." She didn't even want to agree to take turns. We continued the tradition when we moved to Louisiana until Pearl and Lewis received their driver's licenses. Our little outings stopped after that. Pearl wanted her independence and to be out on her own. Pearl was very involved with the Seventh Day Baptist Church Camps, Associations and Conferences. She especially enjoyed getting involved with the music programs. She loved the hiking and nature walks and enjoyed traveling from place to place each year. Pearl married John Bert Nagel, son of Emile William Nagel and Bertha Baurhenn, on November 12, 1959 in Hammond, Louisiana. The marriage ended in divorce on June 10, 1980. John Bert Nagel was born on April 12, 1937 in New Orleans (Jefferson), Louisiana. They had two children: Timothy and Sean. Pearl was voted Outstanding Young Woman of America. In the year 2000 she was accepted into the DAR. She had extensive voice training and served as Choir Director for several churches. Pearl earned her Ph.D. Degree and met John Laughlin who also had a Ph.D. They worked together in their private practice called, Living Toward Wholeness, which began soon after their marriage. Pearl married John Lewis Laughlin, Ph.D., son of Robert Donald Laughlin and Mary Anne Lewis on March 5, 1983 in St John Lutheran Church, Riverdale (PG) Maryland. Rev. Dale Thorngate, Executive Secretary of the 7th Day Baptist Church, officiated. John was born on May 21, 1937 in Towanda (Bradford), Pennsylvania. John Laughlin passed away on Thursday, April 15, 2010. Pearl is the first of our siblings to go. It is so sad and hard to say goodbye to another member of our family; dad, mother and now my sister Pearl, who will be greatly missed. (Excerpts used from Estrellita's Guestbook entry)