McLaughlin, Richard Patrick

MCLAUGHLIN, LYDON, MATTHEWS, SMITH, GRIFFIN

Posted By: Ruth Maring - Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/24/2007 at 17:55:24

McLaughlin, Richard Patrick

Visitation: 3 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pape Funeral Home, Clinton.

SERVICES: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 703 12th Ave., Fulton, Ill.

CLINTON — Dr. Richard Patrick McLaughlin, DDS, 87, of Clinton, died Friday.Burial will be in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Clinton, with military honors accorded by the AMVETS. Pallbearers will be the Knights of Columbus and 10 0’Clock Coffee Club.

He was born Jan. 29, 1920, to Joseph Patrick and Bridget Frances Lydon McLaughlin in Stuart. He married Sarah Frances Matthews on June 15, 1946, in El Paso. She died in 1991. He then married Willamina Smith in 1992. He later married Jean Marie Griffin on Jan. 31, 1997, in Baltimore. He graduated from St. Mary’s High School, Stuart. He attended Creighton University. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1941 with a degree in pre-medicine. He worked for one year at the Wiconda Country Club in Des Moines. He was commissioned in the U.S. Army Reserve as a second lieutenant at Camp Dodge in 1941 and entered the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. At the declaration of World War II, he resigned his commission and enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army Cadet Dental Corps, formed because of the shortage of dentists. His class completed the four-year course in three years. He graduated in April 1944 and upon passing his state board examination in May, was commissioned as a second lieutenant with the U.S. Army and sent to Officer Training School at Fort Dix, N.J. He was promoted to first lieutenant, briefly stationed at Camp Chaffee, Fort Smith, Ark., and eventually at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. He saw as many as 60 patients a day, mostly army recruits. At times he was assigned duty at Indian reservations. He attained the rank of captain in 1946 and then was decommissioned in November. He came to Clinton in December of 1946 and practiced here until March of 2005. He was a member of St. Patrick’s Parish, later the Prince of Peace Parish, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus for 59 years. He was a top contributor of the Central Catholic Auditorium. He was a lifetime member of the American Dental Association, Iowa Dental Association and Clinton County Dental Association. He was an advocate for fluoridation of the Clinton water system in the 1960s and also the use of mouthguards for student athletes, providing them to the St. Mary’s High School team. He held a pilot’s license and belonged to the Clinton Aero Club.Memorials may be made to the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Prince of Peace School or to the family for distribution to his many favorite charities.

Survivors include his wife, Jean; one daughter-in-law, Keri (Steve) McLaughlin of Walcott; one grandchild; one brother, Dr. Philip A. McLaughlin of Coralville; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his first wife Sarah, three children, parents, one sister and two brothers.

Death date: Sept. 21, 2007
Published in the Clinton Herald on 9/24/2007