YOUNGSTOWN–A Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Monsignor Robert Siffrin, will be held at noon on Monday, May14, at St. Edward Church for Mary Agnes McLaughlin, 89, who passed away peacefully on May 10, 2018 while in hospice care at Park Vista of Youngstown. Born on March 29, 1929, Mary Agnes was the only child of George and Mary (Kosturak) Hatagan of Campbell, Ohio. She was a 1946 honors graduate of Ursuline High School and a 1950 graduate of Youngstown College, now Youngstown State University.
Nicknamed “Hat,” she was voted “most popular girl” of Youngstown College in 1948. She was a writer for WFMJ radio during and after college. One of her proudest accomplishments was that she and her friend Sally O’Horo started and published The Campbell News weekly until they merged their publication with The Boardman News This was a remarkable effort since the two of them industriously undertook the writing, editing, ad sales, and so on, by themselves.
She was later a newsroom writer at WKBN radio, even broadcasting segments. The great love of Mary Agnes’ life was her husband of over 66 years, James Kevin “Jim” McLaughlin. They met as students at Youngstown College, after Jim returned from service in WWII.
Married on December 29, 1951, they had four children and lived in Canfield for seventeen years. Over the years, the couple traveled across North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Highlights include visiting both Alaska and Hawaii in 1959, the year each became states and visiting Transylvania to meet her father’s brother even though travel to that part of Romania was restricted.
Other memorable trips included visits to Japan, Hong Kong, Brazil, Jamaica, Russia, Ireland, Scotland, and Denmark. A perfect match, with Mary Agnes’ creative ideas and Jim’s engineering skills, they designed and built two houses. The first was in Canfield, which they left in 1983 to live in the countryside outside of London for several years, followed by the second in Tucson, Arizona, where they resided happily for 25 years before returning to Ohio.
Another shared passion, was their interest in genealogy. Together, they discovered and documented their family history. Mary Agnes will be missed by her family.
She leaves behind her loving husband, Jim, who tenderly cared for her during her last years; and her children, Mary Elizabeth “Beth” McLaughlin of Houston, TX, Christine “Kris” McLaughlin of Arlington, VA, James “Jim” (Lynda) McLaughlin of Willis, TX, and Patricia (Neil) Widerschein of Dublin, OH; and her grandchildren Brooke, Kelly, and Mark Widerschein. She also leaves behind many friends and in-laws Anne Flannery, Jeanne Foley, Betty and Richard “Dick” McLaughlin of Youngstown. The family will receive relatives and friends at St. Edward Church from 11:00am till noon on Monday, May 14.
The family would like to extend special thanks for the excellent care from Ohio Living Park Vista Hospice and the nursing staff at Park Vista. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Ursuline High School, 750 Wick Ave. , Youngstown, 44505 ursuline.com/product/make-a-donation/or to Ohio Living Park Vista Hospice Care, 1216 Fifth Ave Youngstown, 44504 www.
ohioliving.org/foundation/donate Thoughts and condolences can be sent to the family at www. mccauleyfuneral.com The McCauley Funeral Home serving the valley for over 116 years.
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