Date of death: 9/20/2026
Saint Meinrad Class: SS 1978
Marilyn A. McLaughlin, of Greenwood, Indiana, passed away on September 20, 2026, in Indianapolis. She was born on January 12, 1941, in Indianapolis, and throughout her life she devoted herself with deep faith, steady compassion, and a lasting commitment to Catholic education and ministry.
Marilyn’s life was marked by service. She was a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Oldenburg, Indiana, for 22 years. During that time, she taught in Catholic schools in Indianapolis at St. Lawrence and Holy Name of Jesus in Beech Grove, as well as in Batesville, Greensburg, Rushville, Brookville, Indiana, and New Buffalo, Michigan. Her calling to guide and teach others continued in the years that followed. She served as a director of religious education in South Bend, Indiana, Westchester, Illinois, and Chicago Ridge, Illinois. She also served as principal at Notre Dame Catholic School in Long Beach, Indiana, and as a fifth-grade teacher at Saint Stanislaus Catholic School in Michigan City, Indiana.
Her dedication to learning strengthened the work she loved. Marilyn earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Marian College in Indianapolis in 1972, a Master of Arts in Religious Education from Saint Meinrad School of Theology in 1978, and a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from Michigan State University in 1984. These accomplishments reflected both her discipline and her enduring desire to serve others more fully. She also taught English as a Second Language for at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hill, Illinois, and also in the Bridge View School District in Palos Hill, Illinois.
In 1994, the shutdown of her kidneys forced Marilyn to stop working, but it did not diminish her generous spirit or her commitment to her faith. She continued to give of herself through volunteer service, including nine years as a religious education catechist at St. Fabian Parish in Bridgeview, Illinois, two years tutoring second graders at Holy Cross Catholic School in Indianapolis, and four years as a presenter for the RCIA. She remained very active in Catholic life, a devotion that shaped her days and touched the lives of many.
Marilyn will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Martin McLaughlin, and by her sister, Rosemarie Hickle, and brother-in-law, Dennis Hickle. She was preceded in death by her father, J. Harold Myers, and her mother, Margaret Hall Myers. The love of family and the strength of faith were enduring gifts in her life, and her memory will remain a blessing to those who knew her, learned from her, and shared in her journey.
Marilyn’s life was one of quiet dedication, faithful work, and heartfelt service. She leaves behind a legacy of education, ministry, and compassion that will continue to live on in the many students, parishioners, and loved ones whose lives she helped shape.
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