Cecil Carol McLaughlin

Cecil Carol McLaughlin was born in Spickard, Missouri on April 9, 1924. He is the son of Guy and Rosa Cordelia McLaughlin. On January 18, 1947 he married Leona Marie Nugent of Grass Valley, CA. His only sibling was Verl Wayne McLaughlin, both Navy Veterans of World War II.

His early years were devoted to life on a farm where his father grew corn for a living. Cecil was about 14 years of age when his family left Missouri because a drought ruined the farming opportunity. They traveled to Grass Valley, CA where they settled. Cecil graduated from Grass Valley High School and was then drafted into the Navy in 1943 where he served four years on a cargo ship during World War II.

Not long after returning home from the war, he attended a dance at Lake Olympia where he met his present and only wife Leona Marie Nugent who was born and raised in Grass Valley, CA. Soon after their marriage, he returned to Missouri to be with his Mother who died of cancer on February 1950. This was a sad loss as his children were never given the privilege of getting to know their paternal grandmother.

Cecil began a 10-year career as an auto mechanic working for Marvin Brooksby. There were three children born into this marriage, a daughter Carol, and two sons Mike and Peter. Combining children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, the total family size is 25. What a remarkable family!

He owned a home near an orchard and woods just above Rough and Ready, CA. The woods provided a safe playground for the children.

He loved to make homemade vanilla ice-cream with a hand-churned ice cream maker. Weekends involved picnicking and swimming down on the Yuba River at Jones' Bar.

Every two years he planned a cross-country trip to Missouri to visit his Dad and relatives who were living on primitive farms.

After ten years in Grass Valley, Cecil made a life time decision and landed a job with Southern Pacific Pipeline in Rocklin, CA. The home in Grass Valley was sold and the family moved to Rocklin, CA. Within a year the current home on Third Street was built where Cecil died peacefully on July 7, 2015.

His life was devoted to camping trips in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, motorcycle trips with his wife, fishing trips to Bodega Bay for salmon and travel throughout CA. After the children left home, he and Leona traveled around the United States, Canada, and Alaska in their RV.

Cecil enjoyed excellent health all of his life. He was very close to his growing family and was always there for them.

He will be forever loved, forever missed and he will forever live in our hearts filled with a lifetime of sweet memories.

His surviving family:
Children
Carol Christina Smith (daughter)
Mike McLaughlin (son)
Gary Peter McLaughlin (son)
Grandchildren:
Bryan Smith
Brad Smith
Jeff Smith
Grandchildren (cont)
Christine Smith Heryford
Kim McLaughlin Jensen
Brett McLaughlin
Peter McLaughlin
Chad McLaughlin

 
Great-Grand Children
Logan Smith
Ashley Smith
Dylan Smith
Carson Smith
Nicole Moon Smith
Val Heryford
Jonathan Smith
Joey Smith
Rachael Jenson
Mikayla Jenson
Wyatt McLaughlin
Mckinzee McLaughlin
Chloe Marie Faith McLaughlin
Shaylene McLaughlin