Wallace Leon McLaughlin
Wallace “Sam” Leon McLaughlin, 89, passed away, Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at the Donnell House in Washington, PA.
He was born March 15, 1933, a son of the late William John and Dorothy Lydia Patterson McLaughlin.
He grew up in Prosperity along with his older brother, John “Jack” McLaughlin; and older sisters, Marvel McLaughlin Hutchison and Marge McLaughlin Clutter; who have preceded him in death.
Sam graduated from Trinity High School in 1951, where he met and later married his high school sweetheart, Shirley June Sanders. During his high school years he lettered in football and participated in the FFA.
Beginning February 24, 1954, Sam and Shirley spent 69 wonderful years together. They enjoyed travelling to visit family as well as travelling throughout the United States and abroad, including numerous cruises. Among his favorite trips was a cruise to the Panama Canal and a trip to Scotland and Ireland.
Sam proudly served his country as a Marine starting in 1953 as an aviation structural engineer and was honorably discharged in 1956. He was a recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and Sharp Shooter Medal. Sam retired after a successful 37 and a half year career working for National Cash Register as a technical field representative.
Sam enjoyed gardening and planted everything from Christmas trees to tobacco, loofah sponges to banana trees and, of course, sweet corn. He found joy in teaching his children and grandchildren new skills, including baseball, softball, basketball, painting, animal husbandry, fishing, household repair, auto mechanics and driving garden tractors. Sam found pleasure in mowing his large yard, even in his later years.
He was a member and president of the Morris Township Volunteer Fire Department, a member of the Upper Ten Mile Presbyterian Church and a member of the American Legion. Sam played a variety of musical instruments and was self-taught on guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, accordion, piano, drums, and ukulele. He spent many years as the bass player for Homer Mounts and the Volunteers band and he and Shirley spent many Saturday evenings on the local Square Dancing circuit.
Sam was known as a good natured and patient man who leaves behind a loving family to carry on his legacy, including a son, Samuel (Jan) McLaughlin; two daughters, Debra (Don) Unruh and Diana McLaughlin; four granddaughters, Ursula Schwab, Elizabeth (Chris) Kaufman, Marcy (Jared) McLaughlin Smith and Lydia Moon; one grandson, Nicholas McLaughlin Moon; three great-granddaughters, Cyla Schwab, Aurora Schwab, Chloe Kaufman; and two great-grandsons, Jordan Smith and Cooper Kaufman. Sam also leaves behind several brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.
Friends and family are welcome from 3 to 6 p.m. for visitation on Friday March 3, 2023, and beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 4, 2023, preceding the funeral at 10 a.m. in William G. Neal Funeral Homes, Ltd., 925 Allison Ave., Washington, PA 15301. Burial will follow at the Prosperity Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Upper Ten Mile Presbyterian Church, 25 Church St., Prosperity, PA 15329. Military rites will be accorded graveside by American Legion Edwin Scott Linton Post 175.
Additional information and guestbook are available at www.NealFuneralHome.com.