Robert "Bob" F. Mclaughlin

Robert “Bob” F. McLaughlin of Ottawa passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 5th 2022 at home surrounded by love.

Memorial services will be Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. at Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home with Deacon Ron Wackerlin officiating.  Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. until time of service on Tuesday.

Bob was born to Hiram and Sarah (Kenny) McLaughlin in Mendota, Illinois on August 11th, 1946.  He graduated from Ottawa Township High School and was a graduate of IVCC.  Bob worked for Borg Warner-G.E. Plastics from August 29, 1967 to September 1, 2001.  He was retired from G.E. Plastics for only 2 days before going to work for S.J. Smith Welding Shop, where he worked for 15 years, as well as Shearer Tree Service part-time.

Bob was a Hunter Resource Instructor for over 22 years and loved helping teach the hunting safety courses to all the kids over the years.  He was inducted into the Local Sportsman Hall of Fame of LaSalle County in 2009 by Hank Walsh Backwoods Outdoor Show.  He was in the Pheasants Forever Organization in LaSalle County for over 23 years, where he served as President for 3 years and Secretary for 5 years.

Bob’s favorite pastimes were going fishing and hunting with his grandson’s Scott and Spencer and having fish fry’s and spending holidays with his family.  His granddaughter Lisa was always known as “his little girl”.  He was never without a good story and joke to tell.

He is survived by his high school sweetheart, Judy, whom he was married to for 57 years, daughter, Jeanette Simpson; his grandchildren, Lisa (Nick) Sweeney, Scott Simpson and girlfriend Danielle, and Spencer McLaughlin and girlfriend Sam; sister’s Linda (Jim) Pool and Colleen (Mark) Hickman; sisters-in-law, Delores Eiben and Joyce Allen, his aunt Mildred Morel, as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Michele McLaughlin, his parents Hiram and Sarah McLaughlin and his in-laws, Luther and Alice Winchester as well as nieces and nephews, his brothers-in-law, Len Eiben, Harry, Jack, and Carl Winchester, Ron Shafer, Jerry Super, Bill Wilson and Gene Maltas, his sisters-in-law, Naoma Harcharik, Ruth Shafer, Diane Hicks, Rita and Karen Winchester, Darlene Wilson, Alice May Maltas and Ellen Super.