Evelyn Veronica (Rush) McLaughlin, 97, of Nashua, passed away peacefully Thursday morning, May 21, 2020 at Fairview Nursing Home in Hudson.
Born in Benedicta, Maine on September 18, 1922, she was the third of eleven children of Daniel B. and Ora (Theriault) Rush. Evelyn received a Bachelor of Art degree in education from Saint Joseph College (Standish, Maine) in 1944.
She subsequently taught English, Latin and French at Pembroke Academy in Pembroke, NH, Easton High School in Easton, ME and Orono High School in Orono, ME. In the year 2000, she was the special guest of honor at the 50th anniversary celebration of Orono High School’s Class of 1950.
In 1954, she married Robert James McLaughlin of Laconia, NH, a lieutenant in the US Navy during World War II. They settled in Nashua and had four children. Evelyn lived in their home on Atherton Avenue for nearly 60 years.
Evelyn loved music, cooking and baking for her family (everything homemade and always from scratch!) and socializing with family and friends – whether it be over morning coffee, family barbecues, or cookouts at the beach. Her famous macaroni and cheese and pistachio cake were must-haves at all family gatherings. In her younger years, she enjoyed playing golf with her husband and friends. In the 1970’s, Evelyn worked in the catalog department at Sears Roebuck and Company in Nashua, and in the mid 1980’s through the 1990’s, she was a popular substitute teacher at Nashua High School. A devout Catholic, she was a parishioner of St. Christopher Church in Nashua for many years.
She was a loving and loyal daughter, sister and friend. But most of all, she was a beautiful, loving, caring and supportive mother whose children meant the world to her. Though she suffered much tragedy in her life—the untimely deaths of her husband and three of her four children—she never complained or lost her enthusiasm and zest for life. Her glass was always half full; never half empty. She will be greatly missed and in the hearts of those who knew and loved her, she will remain forever young.
Evelyn was predeceased by her husband Robert in October 1972, her children, Patricia A. McLaughlin in March 1983, Brian J. McLaughlin in August 2006 and Paul G. McLaughlin in October 2017; four sisters and two brothers, Mary Harding, Bernadine Morris, Theresa Landers, Edward Rush, Donald Rush and Leah MacKnight.
She is survived by her daughter, Mary J. McLaughlin and her husband Michael of Alexandria, VA; brother, Richard Rush and his wife Celine of Arundel, ME; sisters, Lynn Peters and Donna Puckett of Nashua, and Jean Crouse of Great Bend, KS; and many nieces and nephews.
A visitation for family will be held at the FARWELL FUNERAL HOME, 18 Lock Street, Nashua on Thursday, May 28th at 10:30 a.m. Graveside prayers and interment will follow at St. Patrick Cemetery in Hudson. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Evelyn’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Arrangements are in the care of the FARWELL FUNERAL SERVICE. www.farwellfuneralservice.com
