McLaughlin, James
MCLAUGHLIN, Jr., James
James McLaughlin, Jr., devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend, passed away on September 7, 2022 at the age of 82. He was a native of Clarksdale, Mississippi and the eldest of seven children born to Katie and James McLaughlin Sr.
James became the first in his family to attend college when he entered Tougaloo College in Mississippi. Among many lifelong friendships first made at Tougaloo, James also met his wife of 58 years, Elsie, there. Upon graduation, James entered the United States Air Force, serving as a Targeting Missile Officer stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base in Knobnoster, Missouri. James rose through the ranks to become a captain before leaving the military to earn an MBA from the University of Missouri at Columbia.
James enjoyed a 31-year career at the IBM Corporation, moving between New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, before being transferred to Paris, France. In his spare time, he was a dedicated church member and served his community as a nursing home ombudsman, teaching and playing bridge, and as a board member of the Wesley Foundation.
James is survived by his wife, Elsie; daughters, Sonya Halpern (Daniel) and Sabrina Smith (Ramsey); his five grandchildren; and siblings, Ronald McLaughlin, Helen McLaughlin and Lucius McLaughlin.
His memorial service will be on October 22 at 11 AM at Dunwoody United Methodist Church. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the James McLaughlin, Jr. Scholarship Fund at Tougaloo College.
