J.C. McLaughlin
1934 – 2022
J.C. McLaughlin, 88, of Brigham City, Utah, died peacefully during a hailstorm on October 26, 2022. J.C. was born October 16, 1934 at home on a wheat farm near Channing, Texas, to John Clark McLaughlin and Lila Mae (McKeever) McLaughlin, in the heart of the Dust Bowl. He barely survived the infamous Black Sunday dust storm of April 14, 1935 and often told the story of how his parents followed a chicken from the barn to the house when visibility was near zero and saved him from the dust. He started school in French, New Mexico and lived there until age 9 when the family moved to a dairy farm outside Sulphur Springs, Texas. He married Nancy Ann Webb of Irving, Texas on August 29, 1954. He graduated from East Texas State Teachers College (now Texas A&M, Commerce) with a B.S. degree in Chemistry and then attended the University of Oklahoma. After college he worked for Temco Aircraft and Texas Instruments in Texas before moving to Brigham City in 1961. He worked for Thiokol Chemical Corp. then joined Great Salt Lake Minerals & Chemical Corp., retiring as Sr. Research Chemist after 33 years in December 1999. After retiring, he and Nancy ran a small framing shop out of their home.
J.C. is survived by his wife Nancy, two sons, John E. McLaughlin (Irina Morozova) and M. Brad McLaughlin (Andrea Olson), 7 grandchildren and step-grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren. He was a member of the First Baptist Church for many years, then of Aldersgate United Methodist Church until his death. He was active in Amity Lodge #23, Free & Accepted Masons of Utah (F&AM) and Corinne Chapter #11, Order of Eastern Star (OES) as well as many other Masonic bodies in Utah. He served as Most Worshipful Grand Master, F&AM in 1991 and was Worthy Grand Patron, OES 1979-1980. J.C enjoyed spending time with his family, woodworking, poetry, and attending Masonic functions. He will be missed greatly by his family and Masonic community.
J.C. was preceded in death by his parents, brother Joe Earl McLaughlin, sister Pansy Ruth McLaughlin Duckworth and 3 nephews.
Services will be held on Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 3 p.m., at Gillies Funeral Chapel, 634 E 200 S., Brigham City. Family will meet friends from 2:00 to 2:45 pm prior to the services.
J.C’s request is that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to the Scottish Rite Learning Center, St. Jude’s Children Hospital, or a charity of your choice. Interment will be at a later date in Brigham City Cemetery.
Send condolences to www.gfc-utah.com