Duncan McLauchlin "Lauch" Faircloth

Duncan McLauchlin (Lauch) Faircloth, 95½, of Clinton, NC died at his home Thursday, September 14, 2023.

Born in Sampson County, NC to the late James Bascom and Mary McLauchlin Holt Faircloth, Lauch attended Concord School and graduated from Roseboro High School.

Business was Lauch’s hobby and passion. He took over the family farm before he graduated from high school and by the time he was twenty-two had started several other businesses. He did not understand why people wanted to take vacations or weekends because he was at his happiest making deals and checking on his various business operations, ideally with a chew of tobacco in his mouth.

The closest he came to an outside interest was politics, which he insisted was a fine avocation but a poor vocation. Kerr Scott recruited Lauch as an ambitious 20-year-old to support his race for governor. Lauch began his political career travelling the state with an equally green Terry Sanford, even sharing a bed with him when accommodations were tight, and he capped his career by defeating Sanford to become US Senator. In between lies the complete evolution of 20th Century NC politics.

Lauch was equally at home eating hot dogs and drinking Mt. Dew in a filling station or a steak dinner and a martini in Washington’s finest restaurants. His confidence, demeanor, and repertoire of stories did not change.

The stories are legendary and far too many to recount here, but most stemmed from either his encyclopedic knowledge of particular moments and figures in history or his youth in a Sampson County that seemed to be a perfect cross of James Thurber and Lil Abner. In both cases he never let the truth stand in the way of a good tale.

Lauch loved finding the humor and absurdity in the behavior of others, but he was always quick to find the humor in himself. He had a wonderful sense of fun and never took himself too seriously. He learned early on; that you get through life much easier if you can find the humor in it.

Lauch was preceded in death by his three older brothers and their wives: James Bascom Faircloth, Jr. (Margaret), William Holt Faircloth (Zana), and Haywood Alexander Faircloth (Erma). He is survived by his daughter, Anne Faircloth; his son-in-law, Frederick Beaujeu-Dufour; grandchildren Nancy and Julian Beaujeu-Dufour, and many nieces and nephews.

The family is eternally grateful to the caregivers and co-workers who were by Lauch’s side for many years and became a second family to him.  

In lieu of flowers, please make a gift to the charity of your choice in Lauch’s memory. 

Royal-Hall of Clinton is honored to serve the Faircloth family.