Robbie Joseph Lauland, Jr.

Robbie Joseph Lauland II embarked on his final journey on June 17, 2026, in Orange, Texas. Born on April 7, 1963, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He lived a life defined by his love of the water, his generosity of spirit, and a mind that threw itself fully into whatever caught its interest, moving freely from one passion to the next.

He was a tugboat captain, and he wore that identity with pride for the rest of his life. The river was in him long after he left it. In the years that followed, he turned that same focused energy toward whatever came next — epiphytes and bromeliads lined his space, hand-carved ducks took shape in his hands, a metal detector waited nearby, skillfully made crab traps lined the yard, and he never lost his love of fish and the quiet world of aquariums.

He watched every show about sunken ships and hidden gold, and dreamed of discovering his own treasure. He loved animals his whole life — whether it was his beloved doberman, Tina, that he trained with patience and skill, the cats he kept, or the squirrels that came to eat from the arm of his chair in his later years.

He would talk to anyone. A stranger became a conversation, a conversation became a story, and a story had a way of coming back around again and again. He told corny jokes without apology and laughed at them himself. He was the kind of man who would help a stranger without being asked, sometimes to his own detriment, because that was simply who he was.

He was a man of Christian faith who sought God sincerely throughout his life.

He was a proud father and he cherished his granddaughter and great-grandson deeply.

He is survived by his sons, Francis Lauland and spouse Ashly Howell Escobar, and Robbie Joseph Lauland III, and their mother Lisa Mayfield, his granddaughter Aris Nikol Lauland and great-grandson Leo Anthony Lake. He is also survived by his siblings, Ronald Elwood Lauland and spouse Donna Golden, Rhonda Lauland Miller, and Cheryl "Sherry" Lauland Modica and spouse Ronald, along with many other loving family and friends who will miss his playful spirit dearly.

Cremation will be held under the direction of Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. A memorial service will be held on June 30th at the Knights of Columbus in Lafitte, Louisiana at 11 a.m.