Eileen Anna Gumser was born in Holland, Michigan, on September 2, 1928, to Arthur and Ester (VanOosterhaut) Gumser.  Her early years were spent in Holland, where her favorite summer activity was swimming in Black Lake and people would pay her a Nickel to watch her dive off the high board.

She came to Lowell in 1939 to live with her uncle and aunt, Walter and Viola Gumser.  She graduated from Lowell High School with the class of 1946.  Shortly before graduation, she met Darroll Edward McLaughlin at a school dance and on January 3, 1947 they were married. They were true partners in all they did for 34 years.  For a few years she and Darroll tried farming North of Lowell but the economic growth in post WWII America presented other avenues. They moved into a small house in Lowell where she stayed from 1950 until 2012.  Over those years she and Darroll took great pleasure in improving the house and making it a place that they could call home.  Eileen prepared many great holiday meals for family and friends in this home, giving her the opportunity to express her joy for cooking.  Throughout their lives together she and Darroll traveled across much of the United States.  After Darroll's death in 1981, she continued to travel with charter tour groups and her son.

From an early age Eileen loved reading, particularly historical and biographical subjects.  In her home she surrounded herself with books and she served as a volunteer librarian in the Lowell Runciman Elementary School library.  This love of books was recognized by the school Librarian, Mrs, Hahn, and as the school district expanded Eileen was offered a position as the librarian in the Runciman building.  This was a natural fit and from 1963 to 1990 she encouraged children to appreciate good books.  One of her favorite activities as the librarian was reading to the kindergarteners and watching their reactions as she stirred their excitement in the stories she presented.  At her retirement, several high school seniors wrote her notes expressing how much they enjoyed listening to her read to them.  She always had fond memories of the children who passed through her library.

Eileen Anna McLaughlin a lover of books, travel and learning, has left this earth to join her husband on August 6, 2016 at age 87.  She was a loving, caring, and nurturing mother and grandmother who encouraged her son and grandson to explore possibilities and pursue opportunities.

Eileen was preceded in death by: her husband, Darroll; sisters, Lee Rankin of Hopkins, Michigan and Hilda Schgarudas of Holland, Michigan; and her aunt and uncle Viola and Walter Gumser of Lowell.  She is survived by: her son, Tim McLaughlin (Yeon Hong Min); and grandson Wesley McLaughlin.