McLaughlins mark their golden event at country club

Photo

Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. McLaughlin

LIBERTY

Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. McLaughlin of Liberty were honored by family as they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary during a dinner party July 30 at the Youngstown Country Club.

Hosts for the event were their children, Kelly and Tom Gruscinski of Cleveland; Richard P. McLaughlin Jr. of Paris, France; and Christopher and Gina McLaughlin and Molly and Jamie Burdette, all of Hubbard. The couple have 14 grandchildren.

The former Betty McLaughlin and Mr. McLaughlin were married July 30, 1960, at St. Edward Catholic Church in Youngstown. They have been parishioners of St. Edward’s since childhood.

Mrs. McLaughlin received her bachelor’s degree from Mercyhurst College in Erie, and a master’s in counseling from Youngstown State University. She was employed as a drug and alcohol counselor for the Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic in Youngstown for more than 20 years before retiring in 2006. She is a CASA volunteer and is a member of the board of directors of Beatitude House and the Kennedy Clinic. She is a member of the Daisy Dozen Garden Club and the Liberty Book Club.

After military service with the U.S. Army from 1953-1955, Mr. McLaughlin graduated from YSU in 1958 and from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., where he received both a law degree and a master of laws degree. He practiced law in Washington until returning home in 1970, when he organized his law firm locally. He has practiced business and corporate law since that time and is still practicing.

Over the years Mr. McLaughlin has been active in numerous community activities, including serving as chairman and member of the YSU Board of Trustees for nine years, and previously as president of the YSU Alumni Association. He was chairman of a YMCA membership campaign and was a co-founder of Catholic Television Network of Youngstown, of which he served as president for seven years. He is a member of the YSU Foundation Board.