James W. Mclaughlin

Funeral Services for James W. McLaughlin, 83, Stafford area farmer, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 28, 2013 in the Broadway Heights Baptist Church officiated by George Knapp. Burial to follow in the Stafford Cemetery under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. James Wesley McLaughlin was born August 29, 1929 to James Roy and Dosha Faye (Kerns) McLaughlin in rural Clinton, Oklahoma and passed away Saturday, August 24, 2013 at his home in Stafford, Oklahoma. James was raised in the Stafford community and attended Stafford Schools. At an early age, James and his father worked together at a mechanic shop in Hydro, OK where he become accomplished in auto, diesel and small engine repair. He was married to Retha Claudeen Barrick on September 20, 1948 in Wheeler, TX. They made their first home in the Foss Lake area then moved to Stafford in 1957, where they continued to farm wheat, cotton and raise cattle. They also did custom farm work in the area. In 1994 he built an antique-looking tractor cobbled from a variety of odds and ends that he dubbed "Iron Man ." At its heart was a Mercedes diesel car engine. Through the years, he also built cotton trailers, wagon wheel benches, and a variety of iron figurines. One of his proudest accomplishments was winning several awards in various parades by entering his homemade barrel train that he built for his grandchildren to ride in. He was a member of the Broadway Heights Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Wesley McLaughlin, two brothers, Odell Cook, Raymond Cook and a sister, Gola Fay Langley. He is survived by his wife, Claudeen, of the home; a son, Allen McLaughlin and wife, Andre, of Stafford; a daughter, Lynda Kauk and husband, Darrel, of Clinton; four sisters, Nita Bowling and husband, Hank, of San Diego, CA; June Langley and husband, Dwaine, of Moore, OK; Jeannette Steverson, of OKC, OK; Patricia Sodders and husband Phil, of Hydro; three brothers, Leo McLaughlin and wife, Laura, of Clinton; Ed McLaughlin of Warner, OK; and Don McLaughlin of Anadarko, OK. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Leslie and Brannon McLaughlin, Ryan Bailey, Amber James and Kayla Cloninger and 17 great-grandchildren.