Joan Winifred Mclaughlin

Graveside services for Joan McLaughlin will be held Friday, March 24, at 2 P.M. at Resthaven Memorial Gardens 4302 North Highway 81, Duncan, Oklahoma.
Joan Winifred Duggan McLaughlin was born July 17, 1924 in Liverpool, England. She passed from this life into the next on March 15, 2017 in Lawton, Oklahoma. She was born to Irish immigrants, Patrick and Deborah Duggan and married to Loyd McLaughlin October 5, 1945. Born to this marriage were two daughters Deirdre Joan and Deborah Susan. Her life-long love of coffee and nursing were born out of her time as a Red Cross volunteer prior to World War II. She migrated to the United States by ship and train with a nine month old Deirdre in 1946. She and Loyd settled in Los Angeles where they lived from 1945 to 1955. Joan was an active member of the British War Brides Club of Southern California and started her medical career as a doctor’s assistant. During their time in California a second daughter, Deborah, was born. In 1955, the couple moved closer to family, returning to Loyd’s hometown of Duncan, Oklahoma. She attended Comanche County Memorial Hospital’s Nursing Program and graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She worked at the Physicians and Surgeons Hospital and Lindley Hospital before becoming the director of Haliburton’s First Aid and Safety Department. Joan led numerous blood drives and taught many CPR and Safety Classes. She was married to Loyd for 63 years before his passing in 2008. She is survived by her daughter Deborah Dover of Lawton, four grandchildren, Michael and Tammy Barrett of Oologah, Chris Dover of Dallas, Jason Cummings of Bray and Matt and Melissa Gandel of Kodiak, Alaska, eight great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, four siblings, her husband and oldest daughter Deirdre. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to one of the following organizations:
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America 322 8th Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 910 NW 38th Street, Lawton, OK 73505
Harbor Church P.O. Box 1206, Oologah, OK 74053.
Cremation and Memorial services entrusted to the Bailes-Polk Funeral Home.