Keith McLaughlin

Keith Thomas McLaughlin NEWELL - Keith Thomas McLaughlin, 51, of Newell, NC, made his final journey Wednesday, November 25, 2015, at Levine Dickson Hospice House in Huntersville. Services will be Saturday, December 5, at 2 p.m. at Back Creek ARP Church, 1827 Back Creek Church Road, in Charlotte, with the Rev. Wayne Frazier officiating. The family will receive friends at the church after the service. Born April 4, 1963, in Greenville County, SC, he was the son of James Wright "Jim" and Shirley Lawson McLaughlin. Keith was a Renaissance man with a particular interest in history, genealogy, and music. He loved the Washington Redskins and NC State sports teams. He was a 1981 graduate of West Charlotte High School, where he was a football standout at tight end and defensive tackle. For several years he held the tackle record at J.T. Williams Jr. High School until it was broken by a family friend. He worked at U.S. Air for 18 years, then went back to school. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in history at Queens University and completed his masters at Winthrop University. He taught history in several area institutions including Central Piedmont Community College, Queens University, Johnson C. Smith University, Gaston College and Cleveland Community College. His students always gave him extremely high marks in their opinion surveys, and that meant a lot to him. He was published in the Appalachian Quarterly, wrote the content of historical markers for several plaques at the Old Settlers' Cemetery in Uptown Charlotte, and gave a series of academic lectures. He had plans to expand his masters' thesis, "Thomas Polk: Backcountry Caesar and the Carolina Revolutionary Era," into a book. He enjoyed collecting historical books and records as well as exploring North Carolina and U.S. natural and historic landmarks, especially those pertaining to the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. He had been active in the community before his health declined, and had volunteered with the James K. Polk Memorial State Historical Site in Pineville, where he conducted tours and operated the gift shop. He worked with the Charlotte Labor Day Parade committee, and also with the CPCC "Pull for Charlotte" scholarship fund-raising organization. He was a member of the Dowd YMCA for 20 years and won many awards in fitness competitions. Keith had a gregarious personality with a fantastic and outrageous sense of humor. While he worked for U.S. Air he took advantage of the employee travel benefits and saw most of the country. He traveled to historic sites, concerts and to visit friends across the U.S. In addition to his parents, Keith is survived by his sister, Robin Dale McLaughlin; his nephew, who was his pride and joy, KC Norton; and KC's father, Ken Norton, all of Charlotte. He was especially close to his Aunt Joanne Lawson Lindstrom of Bristol, VA. He is also survived by several other aunts and uncles, and a host of cousins and friends who will miss him dearly. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Epiphany School, 1000 E. Morehead St., Charlotte, NC, 28204, or the Haitian school supported by Friends of Operation Force for Christ Bayonnaise (OFCB) PO Box 34563, Charlotte, NC, 28234-4563. Wilkinson Funeral Home of Concord is handling arrangements. Condolences and memories may be left at www.wilkinsonfuneralhome.com.