Richard R. McLaughlin

Posted: Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Richard R. "Rich" McLaughlin, 41, of Sioux City passed away unexpectedly Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006, in Sioux City.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Church of the Nativity, with the Rev. Gerald Feierfeil officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a vigil service at 7 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Waterbury Funeral Service in Sergeant Bluff.

Richard Robert McLaughlin was born in Sioux City on Jan. 31, 1965, the son of Robert J. and Shirley (Nitzschke) McLaughlin. He graduated in 1984 from Bishop Heelan Catholic High School. While at Heelan, he was the first sophomore to start during the football season and during the 1982 season, he helped lead the team through the finals and become state champs in football. He attended Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, Iowa on a football scholarship.

In 1988, he was employed as a Woodbury County jailer and later became a Woodbury County deputy sheriff. In 1997, he left the Sheriff's Department and took an entry level job with Sabre Communication. He worked his way up the ladder and was currently the southern regional manager for Sabre and traveled extensively in the southern states.

On March 21, 1988, he married Mary Jo Zeitler in Sioux City.

He enjoyed the company of his family and friends. During the past three years, he began riding motorcycles, traveling on the Poker Run and recently bought a new 2005 "Fat Boy" Harley-Davidson. He was currently sergeant-at arms for ABATE. His interest included auto racing and he was the crew chief for Kenny Cakebread's racing cars.

He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Jo; two sons, Jeremy McLaughlin of Sioux City and Ricky Gorter of Sioux Falls, S.D.; a daughter, Heather McLaughlin of Soldier, Iowa; three brothers, Dan and his wife, Mary of Kansas City, Mo., Ron and his wife, Dana of Azel, Texas, and R.J. McLaughlin of Sioux City; two sisters, Jeannie Kierscht of Sarasota, Fla., and Robin and her husband, Pat Johnson of Sioux City.

He was preceded in death by his parents.