Marguerite Pearl McLaughlin was born Oct. 15, 1928, in Michigan. Her family had a grocery store in the township of Matchwood, MI, where she worked. Her father also had a car dealership and the family had a hunting lodge.

She married the love her life, Bruce McLaughlin in 1947. They lived in Bruce's hometown, Trout Creek, MI, where their children Pam and Mick were born. In 1952, they packed up and moved to Orofino along with several other families including the Farbos, Ponozzos and Montambos. They started McLaughlin Logging in 1958 and Marguerite was secretary and treasurer for many years. While raising her children and two nieces, she founded the first kindergarten in Orofino at the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

She loved the outdoors going to the family cabin, boating on Dworshak and for drives with Bruce. Marguerite also liked to go snow sledding at night with friends on the hill where they lived in Orofino.

Marguerite was a lifelong Democrat who served two terms in the Idaho House of Representatives, followed by nine terms in the Senate from 1983 to 2000. During that time, she served on a number of different committees and as Senate minority leader for a time. Locally, she served on the Orofino School Board and multiple hospital boards. She represented Idaho as the chairwoman of the Western States Forestry Task Force. After retiring from the legislature, she served 10 years on the Orofino City Council.

Her professional accomplishments have been honored through multiple awards, including the Cecil D. Andrus Statesmanship Award, an honorary degree from Lewis-Clark State College, Region 11 Business and Professional Women's "Woman of Progress," and Clearwater County's "Woman of the Year."

Marguerite was an avid member of St. Theresa's of the Little Flower Catholic Church in Orofino, and served as a past president of St. Theresa's Council of Catholic Women as well as president of the North Central Deanery.

In her obituary, her family said that "arguably her greatest accomplishment is bringing a small family to Idaho from northern Michigan and growing it into a close-knit family of 40. Her moral conviction, fierce independence and loving demeanor continue to shine through in all of those she has left behind."

She passed away Dec. 19. 2019 surrounded by her family and loved ones. She was buried in Sanders Cemetery.

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