Robert E. McLaughlin

Robert Edward McLaughlin passed away July 17, 2025 in Terre Haute

He was born April 13, 1933 to Herbert E McLaughlin and Mable Lanham McLaughlin in Billings, Montana, where he grew up on the family’s registered Guernsey dairy cattle ranch. The youngest of six children, he is survived by his sister in law Marion McLaughlin of Eugene, Oregon.

In 1951, Bob (or “Mac,” as many called him) graduated from Billings Senior High School where he played French Horn in the school band and in the Five State Honor Band. He earned his B.S. in Agriculture, Dairy Production, at Montana State College in Bozeman. There he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and the agriculture honorary fraternity Alpha Zeta. He was honored with membership in several music honoraries and selected as a “Big Ten” in his senior class.

After college he joined the Navy and completed flight training in Pensacola, Florida. He went on to serve with VA-155, a Sky Raider AD squadron, and completed a six month cruise aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Hancock.

In 1959 he and Mary Bailie were married in Santa Ana, California. Following his Navy discharge, he accepted a position with Foremost Dairies’ international division, which took him and Mary for four years to Japan, Okinawa, and Hong Kong, where he managed plants producing recombined dairy products. Bob returned to the U.S. in 1963 to work for Dow Chemical in Midland, Michigan, where he put his dairy production experience to work managing production in chemical plants. In 1974 Bob moved his family to Terre Haute where he assumed the plant manager position at Ampacet. Following a career of 26 years, he retired in 2000 as Ampacet’s Director of Manufacturing for North America.

Bob was active in the Terre Haute community, serving on the boards of the Chamber of Commerce, IVY Tech, YWCA, and Union Hospital. He was a member of the Vigo County Redevelopment Commission, and was honored by the Chamber of Commerce with its “Terre” award and “John K. Lamb” award for community service. He was president of Noon Rotary Club and an active member of SCORE and the “Fruitridge gang.” He was a member of the Country Club of Terre Haute and an elder in Central Presbyterian Church.

Bob’s passion was fly fishing, especially for Montana trout with his fishing pals, “The Montana Four.” He excelled at block printing, both wood and linoleum, and printed the family cards each Christmas. He enjoyed golf and tennis and worked diligently to find the missing pieces in the McLaughlin genealogy. He was the proud owner of his lovingly restored 1965 Mustang convertible.

In 2019 Bob was happy to celebrate his 60th wedding anniversary with 13 family members on a cruise in Hawaii. Just five days before his passing he happily joined his family in his beloved Whitefish, Montana to celebrate granddaughter Bailie’s wedding.

Bob loved his family and leaves behind:

Mary, wife of 66 years

Sons, Scott (Jan Phillips) and Greg (Sharon Araldi)

Daughter, Dr. Anne McLaughlin (Matt Lothamer)

Grandchildren: Connor McLaughlin, Bailie McLaughlin (Chip Richard), Shawn McLaughlin, Emily Lothamer, Joey Lothamer, and A.J. Lothamer

Great grandson Easton McLaughliIn

Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at Central Presbyterian Church, 125 N. 7th Street with Pastor Scott Paul-Bonham officiating. Visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. on Monday, July 21, 2025 in Callahan & Hughes Funeral Home, 605 S. 25th Street and one hour prior to services on Tuesday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to:

Montana Trout Unlimited – montanatu.org

or

Central Presbyterian Church

125 N. Seventh Street

Terre Haute, IN 47807

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