Cynthia McLaughlin

A Memorial Service for Cynthia G. McLaughlin, 74, of Baker, MT will be held at 7:00 p. m. on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 in the Chapel of Stevenson Funeral Home in Baker with Pastors Bruce and Reba Kolasch officiating. Cynthia passed away on Saturday, December 25, 2010, at Fallon Medical Complex in Baker, MT. Cynthia Ann Goodale was born on the 5th of July, 1936, a daughter of Carroll C. Goodale and Virginia C. (Baird) Goodale in Covina, CA. She spent a lot of her younger years in Azusa, CA, where her father worked putting in lines for the telephone company. As a child, Cynthia was part of the Ground Observer?s Corp in Azusa during the War. During her school years she was involved in Thespians Club and Jobs Daughters, while taking care of her sick mother and eventually having to quit school. In July, 1955, she married Boyd Bell, and to this union Carol and Virginia were born. They divorced, and she met and married Arnold Kain in December, 1960, and during this time she went back and completed her GED, continuing on to become a Certified Home Health Aide. Arnold passed away in March, 1972. Cynthia then married Charles C. Garcelon in September, 1972, and they were together until 1980. While they were together, the family moved to Alaska where Cynthia worked several places as a cook, a disc jockey for a local radio station, a taxicab driver in Anchorage, and was a member of the Hare Union Local #878, and HMRCC E&B Local #879 in Fairbanks, AK. While in AK, she became a Merchant Seaman, and was a cook on a seagoing tug. From Alaska, the family moved numerous times, living for periods in Utah and California. In 1980, Cynthia took a job as a nanny on the big Island of Hawaii and moved there to join her daughter Carol and grandchildren, being joined in 1981 by Virginia, who followed to care for her mother after a surgery. The two spent the next ten years enjoying some mother and daughter time in the tropical paradise. During this time, Cynthia met and married David G. McLaughlin on December 14th, 1990, and they moved to Watertown, NY, during his military career. From there, they moved again to PA, and on his retirement in 1996 they moved to Marmarth, ND. October of 1998 brought them to Baker, MT, and Cynthia closer to medical facilities for health reasons. She remained in Baker until the time of her passing, surrounded by family, and many friends that she claimed as family. Cynthia was a 10 year member of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit #35, Baker, and volunteered every year to help with the annual Poppy Distribution for the Veterans. Her husband, David, was very proud of her accomplishments as a military wife, and with the support groups she was with during his deployment during Hurricane Andrew in Florida, as well as support groups for military families during Desert Storm. Some of Cynthia?s loves were dancing, crocheting, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Cynthia is survived by her husband, David Gordon McLaughlin, Baker, MT; two daughters, Carol Roxanna (Sam) Simpson, Snohomish, WA and Virginia Lee Auwae, Baker, MT; three grandchildren, Sam E. Simpson Jr. , Koi E. Simpson and LaJuana J. Jacobsen: two great-grandchildren, Patrick Boyd Munday and Nicole Autumn Jacobsen; a nephew, John C. (Selene) Goodale and two nieces, Venita (Tom) Fisher and Melissa Goodale. She was preceded in death by her parents, Carroll and Virginia, a husband, Arnold Kain and her brother, John Goodale and her sister, Patricia Goodale.


Click to View Program (PDF)


Burial Date: January 4, 2011
Funeral Home Baker, MT

Memorial Service: Tuesday, Chapel of Stevenson Funeral Home, Baker, MT