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Sept. 3, 1933-Aug. 17, 2026
Minot
Barbara Jean McLaughlin, 92, of Minot, died Monday, August 17, 2026, at a Velva assisted living facility, with her son holding her hand.
Barbara Jean Benton was born on September 3, 1933, to George Walter and Elizabeth Catherine (Bess) Malloy Benton. She was their 3rd child, following her brother Francis and sister Lois. She grew up in northeast Minot and spent most of her life there. She was truly one of the luckiest girls in the world to grow up with her own ponies and horses and a huge neighborhood and pastures that she could roam. She was rarely without an animal to love.
Barb graduated from St. Leo's Catholic High School in 1952. Soon thereafter she married her high school sweetheart Eugene Francis McLaughlin. When he enlisted in the Army, they moved to Fort Knox where he did his basic training. While he was there, she was a live-in housekeeper for an officer and his wife. When Gene was given orders to Germany, she moved back to Minot and lived with her parents.
Once they returned to Minot, Barb and Gene had their only two children, George and Barbara. As luck would have it, Barb's father was a gifted carpenter. He built a house for each of his daughters, who lived in each other's backyard from then on with their parents close by. Their children were more like brothers and sisters than cousins.
When Barb's children were small, she worked at PMA (Production marketing assoc), where she worked with farmers, helping with grain reports and titles. She later went on to work as a Banker at First National Bank, which later transitioned to Norwest Bank. She worked primarily with loans. She had a ton of friends through those associations and belonged to the First American Bankers Institution and was secretary for the National Secretary Association.
Throughout her life Barb was also active in Trail Riders, volunteering at the North Dakota State Fair, was treasurer for the Ward County Animal Shelter, spent time at the Souris Valley Humane Society, volunteered at funerals and the food bank, was a Cub Scout Den Mother, and a room mother at Roosevelt Elementary School.
She and Gene were members of the Magic City Drift Busters, a local snowmobile club. They could be found playing darts at the American Legion with family activities focused around veteran associations. They loved camping with their friends and spent many weekends at L&M (Lafontaine & McLaughlin) point on Sakakawea. Many winters were spent in Casa Grande, AZ, where, of course, they made a whole bunch of great new friends.
For the last three years of her life, she resided at the Valley View Manor in Velva, North Dakota. While living there she had many outings with staff and other residents. Among her favorites were trips out to lunch, Walmart and the Dollar General. It wasn't uncommon for a dog or two to come visit her; one day a horse even made its way to see her. These visits would always light her up and make her day. George made sure that he got her high school classmates out to visit her once a year and they'd all go out to the Star City golf course for lunch. Last year was their 72nd high school class reunion.
Barb was a lifetime member of St. Leo's Catholic Church.
She is survived by her son, George (Teri Hurly); daughter, Barbara (Cy) Hoffarth; niece, Mary Goebel (Carol Kendall); sister-in-law, Marie Miller; eight grandchildren, Michael and Shaun McLaughlin, Laura Davison and Carly Klein, David, Alex and Scott Hoffarth and Paula Willette; 13 great grandchildren, and two great, great grandchildren on the way, along with many nieces and nephews.
Barb was preceded in death by her husband, Gene (2005); her parents; brother, Francis; sister, Lois (Casper) Goebel; in-laws, Pat and Connie McLaughlin, Jack and Helen McLaughlin, Joe Miller and Rita Johnson.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday August 25, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Leo the Great Roman Catholic Church, Minot.
A visitation will take place from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot, with a rosary to follow.
Burial will be held at Rosehill Memorial Park in Minot.
Memorials are preferred to the Our Lady of Grace Food Pantry in Minot.
Memories and condolences can be shared at www.thomasfamily funeralhome.com.
Published by The Minot Daily News, August 20, 2026.