Nancy McLaughlin

Nancy was born in Eben Junction, Michigan, November 23, 1934 to Martha and Carl Johnson. She was the second of three children, Don and Carolyn (the spoiled little sister).

Nancy graduated from Eben High School in 1952 and later found her passion in life which was nursing, taking after her mother Martha who was also a nurse. She began her professional life at the MSU experimental farm in Chatham, Michigan to pay for her three year nursing program at St. Luke’s in Marquette, graduating in 1956. She began working at Morgan Heights Sanitarium before she moved to Ann Arbor and began working at the U of M Hospital. Nancy spent many years working at Surgical Associates and as an operating room nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital. She was eager to pass on her skills and education and taught nursing classes at MSHS. She later began working at D.J. Jacobetti Center where she would end up retiring and her daughter Laurie soon would follow in her footsteps. Creating four generations of nurses with her grandson Adam who just completed his RN degree.

Dick and Nancy met in 1956 while Dick was home on leave from the Navy, engaged in 1959 on Dick’s birthday (best present ever because she said yes) and married in 1960. Dick and Nancy shared 64 years together celebrating their final anniversary on July 23, 2024. The couple had three children, Laurie Jean, Rick and Rob. Nancy not only thrived being a nurse but also as a wife, mother and grandmother (Grammie to most).

Everyone who knew her described her as loving, kind, sweet, caring, thoughtful, passionate, and selfless. She was always waiting to give out hugs even if she didn’t know you and always left you with a love you babe or Finnish phrases like Kiitos (Thank you) until the very end. Nancy truly adored her children and grandchildren always going to their events including skating, baseball games, dance recitals and scouting. She enjoyed gardening, painting, canning, picking blueberries, sewing, crosswords and Sudoku puzzles, being involved in the Red Hat Society, and was a wiz at Wheel of Fortune even in her final days.

Nancy is survived by her husband Richard “Dick” McLaughlin, son Richard “Rick” McLaughlin (Dolly), son Robert McLaughlin, sister Carolyn Nelson, many nieces and nephews, grandchildren Adam (Kim) Rudness, Courtney Rudness, Richard “Ricky” McLaughlin and Nicholas McLaughlin.

She is preceded in death by her parents Martha and Carl Johnson, in-laws Lawrence and Ruth McLaughlin, brother Don Johnson (Pat Johnson), Darlene and Clyde Fowler, sister in-law Marilee “Mim” Davidson, brother in-law Edwin “Matt” Nelson, niece Lee Anne Seppanen, daughter Laurie McLaughlin Rudness, and great-grandson Greyson Kent Rudness.

Special thank you to Dr. Karr for all the years of excellent patient care. No matter the day or time, always checking in and ensuring all needs were met and questions were answered even in the final days. Thank you U.P. Home Health and Hospice for helping her be comfortable in her own home and treating her as if she was their own family member.

Friends may call at Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services on Monday, August 5, beginning at 10:00 am until the time of service at 12:00 noon. Rev. Alex LaChapelle will officiate. A reception will follow in the funeral home reception room. Interment will be made in the Park Cemetery.

Condolences may be expressed online at fassbenderswanson hansen.com