Mae D. McLaughlin, 94, a resident of Lombard for 65 years, died Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014.
She was the widow of Col. John L. McLaughlin, Sr., U.S. Army, retired. They were married for 70 ½ years and were residents of Lombard from 1948 through 2012.
She was a fine example of the “Greatest Generation.” Her husband served in the Army from a year before Pearl Harbor through December 1945. During that time she accompanied him to every assignment except his overseas combat in North Africa and Europe.
During one of those stateside assignments she had the distinction of making the famed General George S. Patton retreat.
At an afternoon gathering at the General’s quarters, the General found Mrs. McLaughlin sitting on stairs outside the “Ladies’ Parlor” and asked pointedly if she’d had a touch too much to drink? When she replied no, she was expecting a baby, she succeeded in flustering the general, who instructed her to stay right where she was while he retreated to get vital reinforcements – his wife.
In Lombard, Mrs. McLaughlin was instrumental in starting Lombard’s Junior Service League and served on its board. Her involvement with parent-teacher associations, booster groups, and Scouts from Hammerschmidt Elementary School through Glenbard East spanned the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s.
For more than a decade, she welcomed customers to the Skeets Hallmark store on Main Street, Lombard, as the store’s first and staunchly loyal employee.
A native of Chicago, she attended Wright Junior College after graduating from Carl Schurz High School. She was an ardent fan of the Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks, and Bulls. She was also a White Sox fan … unless they were playing the Cubs.
In addition to her devoted husband, Mrs. McLaughlin is preceded in death by her parents, Samuel and Emma von Kamen Woodhouse of Chicago, and her siblings, Beatrice Boultbee and Raymond Woodhouse. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Catherine and Joseph Batka of Beavercreek, Ohio; her son and daughter-in-law, John and Virginia of Naperville, Ill.; and daughter, Patricia of Florence, Ky.; her grandchildren, Joseph Batka, Jr. (Stephanie) of Lombard, James Batka (Beth), Major John Batka (Jennifer), Mathew Batka (Becky), Catherine E. Batka, John McLaughlin III (Laura), Lauren McLaughlin; 11 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral Service will be Wednesday, December 17, at 1:00 PM at Brust Funeral Home, 135 South Main Street, Lombard, with Visitation to follow until 4:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Fisher House Foundation, 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 420, Rockville, MD 20850-5168 (www.fisherhouse.org) to aid wounded military members and their families, or to The Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675 (https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org) would be greatly appreciated.
RANDALL ‘RANDY’ WELKER, age 68, of Lombard, died December 30 at his home.
