Marjorie Elizabeth McLaughlin hailed as a determined, focussed individual

Sunday, February 19, 2012

ON Saturday, January 21, scores of mourners turned out to celebrate the life of Marjorie Elizabeth McLaughlin at a thanksgiving service held at the Stellar Maris Church in St Andrew.

McLaughlin passed away on January 2 after a battle with illness.

She was 52 years old.

McLaughlin's sister Nicolette, described her as a tender, kind soul who would never hurt a fly.

"Betty was many things to many people. A beloved daughter, sister, aunt, niece and cousin as well as a trusted and much-loved friend to many. Betty was a beautiful individual both in her physical presence and in her personality. Her traits were many and included intelligence, grace, an innate sense of fashion and poise, a great sense of humour and an innocence and naiveté that were both charming and surprising at the same time. While her determination, strength of character and her focus were always with her," she said.

Marjorie McLaughlin was born on January 29, 1959, the fourth of seven children.

"During her childhood years McLaughlin competed in and won the National Spelling Bee Competition. She went on to Immaculate Conception High School where she won numerous awards and achievements in her academics and swimming. She was Salutatorian in her graduating class and earned her bachelors degree with first class honours from the University of the West Indies in Natural Sciences.

Mclaughlin won a scholarship to York University in Ontario, Canada, where she pursued her masters' degree in business.

"It was clear to everyone that Betty was filled with a drive and determination to achieve her goals and she fought non-stop to do so," Nicolette said.

Upon completing her studies in Canada in 1985, McLaughlin returned home and got married in September of that year. She started her career with Citibank. But as fate would have it McLaughlin was in a tragic car accident on Ash Wednesday, February 12, 1986. She sustained head injuries and was in a coma for several months. The doctors said she would not make it.

"That was because they didn't know about Betty's indomitable fighting spirit. She fought harder than ever and recovered from the coma, learned to walk and talk again and kept fighting to get better and better. During that period, her marriage ended as her care and condition took its toll," Nicolette said.

"The things that never changed, however, were her beauty, inside and out, her spirit, her sense of humour, her love of life, people and fashion. She was very caring, especially of her Mom, who as time went by, became her main caregiver and companion. She had built up great friendships and relationships over the course of her life and was truly loved by a great many people." she said.