By David Lim

Long-time colleagues and friends of former visual arts teacher Andrew LauGel gathered at his memorial service Jan. 27 on the middle school campus. LauGel died Dec. 22 after a year-long fight with cancer.

The memorial, called “Andrew LauGel: A Celebration of Life” earlier this month, featured recollections of LauGel from Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts, Middle School Visual Arts Department Head Brenda Anderson, Visual Arts teacher and former student Katie Palmer, Librarian Susan Kallok and Upper School art teachers Cheri Gaulke and Art Tobias. 

“[LauGel] was a man of fine character and a character,” Huybrechts said at the start of the service.

Ninth grade dean John Kim played ukelele during a slideshow documenting Laugel’s over 20 years at Harvard-Westlake and at the conclusion of the service when Chaplain Rabbi Emily Feigenson gave attendees a chance to meditate on LauGel.

The service started at 3:30 p.m. in the Munger Library and ran for approximately 45 minutes.

LauGel retired after his illness was diagnosed last year.