Caroline Maude McLaughlin

Caroline McLaughlin, 60

NORTH LOUP Caroline Maude McLaughlin, 60, of North Loup died Thursday, July 10, 2008, at BryanLGH Medical Center East in Lincoln.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Scotia Zion Lutheran Church. The Rev. Mark Middendorf will officiate. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Bismarck, N.D.

Visitation will be prior to the services Saturday at the church. Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Ms. McLaughlin was born on May 1, 1948, at Bismarck, N.D., to Lester and Dorothy (Songstad) McLaughlin.

Survivors of the immediate family include her mother of Max, N.D., and a brother and sister-in-law, Edwin and Naomi McLaughlin of Pelican Rapids, Minn.

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Additional survivors include a special friend, Kathy Rakness of North Loup; a nephew, Corey and wife, Brenda Langness, and two great-nieces, Kayla and Brittany of Fargo, N.D. She was also a special friend, sister and mentor to the Rakness family. Ms. McLaughlin is also survived by countless students whose lives have been touched forever.

She attended elementary school in Bismarck and graduated from Bismarck High School in 1966. She graduated from Minot State University in 1971, with a bachelorÕs degree in special education. Her first teaching job was in Albion. She then worked for ESU 10. Caroline received her masterÕs degree from Kearney State College in 1977. She began teaching special education at North Loup Scotia in the fall of that year and later also assumed the duties of speech/language pathologist. The remainder of her teaching career was spent at North Loup-Scotia, teaching children from pre-school through grade 12. Even after graduation, students continually called her for advice and assistance.

Caroline was an active member of the North Loup-Scotia Education Association and assumed many leadership roles within that organization. She sponsored the NLS Student Council and was co-sponsor of the Class of 2010.

She enjoyed the Christmas holiday season and celebrating birthdays and loved gardening, as evidenced by the many plants and flowers in her yard, but her passion was for teaching and learning. Caroline shared her talents with children in many ways, including Special Olympics, therapeutic riding, summer school, tutoring, and working before and after school. She was an avid reader and believer in lifelong learning. Her knowledge and compassion for others was as special as her students were to her. She shared her unique gift through her dedication and commitment to education. She was a mentor and inspiration to her colleagues.

She was preceded in death by her father, Lester McLaughlin.

Memorials are suggested to the North Loup High School General Scholarship Fund.

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