Mary Margaret (Howdyshell) McLaughin

Mary Margaret (Howdyshell) McLaughlin, 92, of Bremen, passed away on Thursday, June 11, 2020. She was born April 23, 1928, in Maxville, OH to the late Harley and Irene Howdyshell.

Mary was a dedicated wife, mother and homemaker. As the leader of the Sew What’s 4-H club for 51 years, she fostered the minds of many a young person in her Bremen community. She and her husband earned many farmland conservation awards including the 2012 Ohio Conservation Farm Family Award. She was a long time member of the Bremen Historical Foundation. Consistent with her generosity and love of family, she donated her kidney to her son, Clinton in 1982. Mary was a fun-loving people-person who enjoyed visiting family, friends and neighbors. She was the type of person that remembered the details of your life from one visit to the next and would ask questions and provide encouragement. Thankfully, Mary didn’t always act her age. She liked to share playful songs from her youth – some with rather blushworthy lyrics! She enjoyed gardening, maintaining her yard and flower beds, observing the birds that came to her feeders, working on genealogy and writing in her diary.

Mary is survived by her daughters, Karen Prochilo and Cathy (Jeff) Benson; grandchildren, Chris Benson, Aaron Benson, Hannah Benson, Paul Britch, and Jennifer (Eric) Wilson; great grandchildren, Miranda and Branden Wilson; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 59 years, Wayne McLaughlin; son, Clinton McLaughlin; daughter, Sharon Britch; and brothers, Joseph Howdyshell and Michael “Micky” Howdyshell.

Funeral service will be held at 2:30 PM Wednesday at the FRANK E. SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 405 N. Columbus St., Lancaster, OH, 43130. Burial will follow in Grandview Cemetery, Bremen. Friends may visit prior to the funeral from 12:30 to 2:30PM. The family respects that some — due to the Covid-19 crisis — may not wish to attend an in-person service, and are appreciative of all condolences no matter how delivered. At the viewing and service, masks are preferred, but optional.

In memory of Mary, donations may be made to Fairfield Co 4-H Development Fund (giveto.osu.edu; fund 311707), Bremen Historical Society, to the Kidney Foundation or to an organization of the donor’s choice.

To send an online condolence, and sign the guestbook, please visit www.funeralhome.com.