Mary "Mamie" McLaughlin, beloved wife, mother, nana, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully in the company of her family on November 7, 2024, at the age of 91. Mamie was born on June 12, 1933, in Old Kilpatrick, Scotland, the eldest child of Mary and Edward Conboy. Her early years were marked by two devastating events: In 1941, the Conboy family home was destroyed during the Clydebank Blitz, forcing the family to evacuate to the countryside. The following year, when Mamie was nine, her father passed away suddenly, forcing her into the role of caregiver for her brothers, James, Bernard, and Edward, while their mother began work at Erskine Hospital to support the family. These experiences gave her great resolve throughout the rest of her life.
In 1956, Mamie, carrying only two bags, immigrated to the United States. After brief stays in Rhode Island and New York, she arrived in Philadelphia where she reconnected with John “Jack” McLaughlin, who had made the journey from Scotland three years earlier.
The two were married in 1958, and together they built a rich life in St. Matthew’s parish in Northeast Philadelphia, raising seven children, Mary Frances (Kevin), Patrick, John (Kathleen), Edward (Marianne), Gerald, James (Heather) and Dennis (Kristina).
A caregiver extraordinaire, Mamie thrived in the presence of children. After raising her own family, she cared for each of her grandchildren (plus some great grandchildren) whenever the need arose. She claimed that the kids kept her young and gladly put aside her baking, knitting, weeding, painting, cleaning, raking and constant rearranging of furniture to spend time with them. In return, the grandchildren, who delighted in the company of Nana and Poppop, became devoted caregivers to both of them in their later years.
As Mamie joins her husband, Jack, and their beloved son, Pat, we will remember her dimpled smile, resilience, energy, sense of humor, love of babies, and boundless commitment to family, near and far, related and adopted. And let’s not forget her famous shortbread - we will spend a lifetime trying to duplicate the magic. Mamie’s legacy continues with her expanding family, including twenty grandchildren and ten great grandchildren, the lights of her life
Thank you to the members of Columbus Country Club for their many years of friendship. And thank you to the 4th floor staff at Philadelphia Protestant Home for their unlimited compassion.
A Requiem Mass and celebration of Mamie’s life will be held in the spring when her extended family and loved ones will gather to remember her wonderful life. Donations in her memory can be made to the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund, a local charity helping families of children with serious illnesses.
https://dolanfund.org/