Remembering Bob McLaughlin
Bob and Jessica Covell, SOIL’s 2 longest serving board members visiting SOIL in Haiti in 2016.
It is with deep sense of both gratitude and loss that I want to share the news of the passing of Robert McLaughlin, a dear friend, an inspirational model of compassion and a SOIL Board Member for the past 14 years. Bob and his wife of 63 years, Mary Lou, died peacefully within one week of one another surrounded by the love of their 5 children and 12 grandchildren.
Bob made his living as a certified public accountant where he served his community of Rockford, Illinois for over 50 years, supporting his growing family and inspiring his friends and neighbors through his life of service both inside and outside of the office.
I first met Bob in 2008 in Cap Haitien. It was a chance meeting during one of his visits to the city with Food for the Poor, a charity which he had supported for many years. Little did we know it would be the beginning of a deep friendship which would last for 16 years, bringing such personal and professional meaning to both of us. Bob had a curious mind, a bottomless heart and an admirably unshakable commitment to justice.
Bob and I corresponded between 2008 and 2010 but it was really after the devastating earthquake in 2010 that Bob began to engage more deeply with SOIL. Though a dedicated professional, Bob was not a wealthy man, but his generosity for those in need was humbling. Over the years that he supported SOIL he was one of our largest individual donors, always finding ways to contribute when the need was the greatest. In 2011, Bob joined the SOIL Board as Treasurer. He served in his role until his death, and even as he neared 90, he still joined board calls, actively engaged in strategic discussions and reviewed our books with the care and attention to detail that was both his hallmark and his gift to us.
Those who work with numbers are not always known for their ability to relate to others, but Bob was a special kind of numbers person. He always saw the people behind the numbers, he considered their lives as he poured through our books or those of his local clients. Bob actively sought connection to those who were struggling and he was always striving to transform his compassion into action.
Bob was not just my colleague, he was my friend and my mentor. He and Mary Lou attended my wedding and stayed in close touch with my mother. Losing my mother, Bob and Mary Lou all in the same month has been a reminder of the inevitability of change and loss, but they have also showed me the power of a life well lived. Bob and Mary Lou have left a legacy of love and compassion that will carry on through the lives of their children and the many people, like me, whose lives they changed through their generosity and exemplary dedication to their own family and humanity.
I will miss him dearly.
With love, Sasha
On one of his many visits to Haiti over the years, Bob met the family of a much-loved SOIL employee, Lelene Antoine, who had recently passed away, leaving 8 children to fend for themselves. Bob took it upon himself to support Lelene’s family and thanks to his generosity her children have survived the past decade of struggle in Haiti. Olivier Jean Pierre is now a medical student in Venezuela, thanks to Bob’s ongoing support and guidance and he wanted to share a few words:
"The little time that I spent with Bob taught me so much about love for others, sharing, commitment and leadership. The love Bob had for change and the positive energy he carried with him was proof that he was a gason vanyan (a man of courage). Losing Bob I feel like a part of me is gone but what continues to give me strength is when I remember the words he said to me in 2014 when we first met: Olivier you are bright, continue to study because it is knowledge that will bring you success. I will never stop learning, I will keep moving forward.”