Edward Austin O’Laughlin, 85, passed away peacefully at home on July 5, 2024.

Son of Mary Margaret O’Laughlin (Doyle), and Austin Cornelius O’Laughlin, he was born January 11, 1939 in Washington D.C. He and his family moved to the Philadelphia area for a factory job, which is where he grew up. This is where his love of soft-pretzels started!

He graduated from Temple University and worked as a statistician for the government. He retired early, but still kept his mind sharp by diving into the world of Chess and eventually Backgammon. Through his passion for Backgammon, he was able to travel all over the world and eventually be inducted into the American Backgammon Hall of Fame in 2020.

He met his wife, Evelyn O’Laughlin (Henares) as they were penpals from across the world, Evelyn being in the Philippines and Ed having moved back to the Northern Virginia area. They married in 1984 in the Philippines and settled down in Arlington, VA. Here, they had two children - Austin Patrick O’Laughlin and Erin Mary Yanchak (O’Laughlin), and raised their family in Northern Virginia and South Florida.

Ed was one-of-a-kind: a pacifist vegetarian with a passion for backgammon and artsy movies. Many of us have lost a man who was generous with his time and support, and never seemed to give up on people when they were down. To his backgammon community - we hope his legacy for the game continues on with each mentee he took under his wing. To his family - we know his generosity did not go unnoticed and was always appreciated.

We invite you all to share any memories, pictures, or any messages you wish to convey on how Ed impacted your life.

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