Mary Louise (Meiergerd) McLaughlin, 79, went home to the Lord on December 5, 2022 at Providence Place Memory Care in Fremont, Nebraska.  Memorial Mass will be 10:30am on Tuesday, December 20 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church at Aloys.  The funeral will be live streamed on the Stokely Funeral Home Facebook page at facebook.com/stokelyfuneralhome. Burial will be at St. Aloysius Catholic Cemetery with lunch following at the Nielsen Center.  Visitation will be prior to the service from 9:00am to 10:00am with a rosary at 10:00am at St. Aloysius Catholic Church.  In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to St. Ignatius of Loyola in Spring, Texas or St Aloysius Catholic Church in Aloys, Nebraska.  Arrangements by Stokely Funeral Home.

Mary Lou was born on February 19, 1943 to Gottfried and Leona (Buse) Meiergerd.  She attended St Aloysius Catholic grade school and Guardian Angels High School.  Mary Lou worked as a secretary in Omaha, Nebraska before she married John McLaughlin Jr. on June 15, 1968 in Aloys, Nebraska.  Mary Lou and John lived in various cities including Torrence, California; Cleveland, Ohio; Greenville, North Carolina; Bakersfield and Valencia, California before ending up in Spring, Texas.  She worked for Compaq/HP as an administrative assistant for the brand protection team.

Mary Lou was active in her parish, St Ignatius of Loyola in Spring, Texas where she participated in retreats, bible study, and a faith sharing women’s group known as Living Stones.  Mary Lou’s Catholic faith and her family were the center of her life as well as a deep love for the Blessed Mother.

Mary Lou also ushered for plays and concerts along with working with her friend, Phyllis, in a jewelry company called Gem-Star that raised money for non-profits.  She was very creative which was reflected in her home and artwork that she made for family and friends.  Mary Lou also loved the out-of-doors and walking every chance she could get.

Family and friends said she was a dear friend who was always available if you needed her never asking for anything in return.  A kind hearted person that was even tempered and a friend to everyone.

Mary Lou is survived by her children, John McLaughlin III of Houston, Texas; Kevin McLaughlin of Orange County, California and granddaughter Mikayla Prada McLaughlin of Woodlands, Texas.  Siblings Leroy (Dianne) Meiergerd of Beemer Nebraska; Donald (Judy) Meiergerd of Wichita, Kansas; Eugene Meiergerd of Scottsdala, Arizona; Cletus (Sharon) Meiergerd of Avon, Indiana; Clarence (Linda) Meiergerd of Chillicothe, Missouri; Joseph (Robbie) Meiergerd of O’Fallon, Missouri; Francis (Patty) Meiergerd of West Point, Nebraska; Junella (Gary) Trieweiler of Homer, Alaska; Carol (Jerry) Kuhlmann of St Peters, Missouri, James (Diana) Meiergerd of Fremont, Nebraska; and Vincent (Vicki) Meiergerd of West Point, Nebraska along with numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents Gottfried and Leona Meiergerd.

Mary Lou will be greatly missed.