Margaret Jane McLaughlin

Margaret (Peggy) McLaughlin passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 20, 2021, as her sister held her hand and whispered words of comfort and love as well as heartfelt prayers.

Margaret was born in Saint Francis Hospital to the late Joseph A. McLaughlin and Anne (Mulrooney) McLaughlin. She grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, where she attended Saint Ann School, graduated from Ursuline Academy, and pursued her college studies at the University of Delaware. She loved politics, so she chose to major in political science, but later changed her major in order to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology. She earned a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling from Wilmington University and became a licensed and certified mental health counselor as well as a certified drug and alcohol counselor. Along the way she volunteered at a local suicide prevention hotline and worked at Martha House, a home for mothers and their children in difficult situations. Margaret used her skills as an addictions counselor at Open Door in Newark, DE and Brandywine Counseling in Wilmington. Ultimately she found just the right spot for her talents as a counselor at Catholic Charities where she worked for the past thirteen years until her retirement in August, 2020. It was at Catholic Charities that she was able to share her empathetic spirit rooted in her own deep faith. She listened to the stories of lives broken by addiction, families torn apart by violence and abuse, and sat quietly with clients who were hurting so much that they could not find the words to share their pain with her. She saw her job as a ministry and even after her retirement, she shared the gift of her time with anyone in distress who called and asked for her help.

Margaret was always “Peggy” to those who knew her best. She was a person who loved simple pleasures: trips to the beach, a good book, a great movie, a bouquet of sweet daisies, and quiet time at home. Chocolate was her favorite food group, and she loved potatoes in any and all forms, a fact attributed to her Irish heritage. Her sense of humor and feisty spirit were the source of so much laughter. She had a gift for words, both written and spoken, but she was a good listener who could always hear the deeper words that were within someone’s heart. She was the best friend a sister could have, and she leaves behind so many memories for her sister, Sara Grandell to cherish. The world is darker without her bright presence, but the stars of heaven are so much brighter now that she is there. Rest in peace, sweet sister.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Friday, May 28 at 1:00 P.M.at Saint Ann Roman Catholic Church, 2013 Gilpin Avenue, Wilmington, DE 19806. Interment will take place at Cathedral Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice. 

A special word of thanks to the nursing staff of the ICU Unit at Wilmington Hospital who shared the gift of compassion in the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 20, 2021. It was a gift beyond measure in the face of unbearable sorrow.

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