December 8, 1934 – February 28, 2026
Sheila M. McLaughlin, 91, of Reading, MA, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2026. Born on December 8, 1934, to Mrs. Ellen (Devereaux) Boyle and Mr. James E. Boyle in Springfield, MA, she was the seventh of their ten children.
Shelia was married to David J. McLaughlin for 59 years before his passing on November 1, 2021. The wedding was held at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Springfield, MA, on September 8, 1962. She was a devoted mother to her three children; Kathleen M. Cole, Christine P. Bond, and Timothy P. McLaughlin. And she was the loving mother-in-law to Melinda R. (Thomas) McLaughlin and David E. Bond. Sheila was blessed with nine grandchildren: Michael J. McLaughlin, Nora K. Bond, Quentin R. Bond, Thomas B. Cole II, Jane E. McLaughlin, Nathan D. McLaughlin, Andrew D. Cole, Connor T. McLaughlin, and Anna L. McLaughlin; and one great-grandchild, Genevieve Martha Mary McLaughlin. Sheila is also survived by her sisters, Patricia (Boyle) Lucey and Noreen (Boyle) Whitcomb.
Like all her siblings and two of her grandchildren, Sheila graduated from Cathedral High School in 1952. After earning her degree from The Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Springfield, MA, in 1956, Sheila spent nearly 40 years caring for a wide variety of patients throughout the Midwest.
Sheila later worked with children as a teacher’s assistant within the Louisville, KY, school district for nearly 10 years. She was an adventurous cook, passionate fan of Michigan football, and devoted to her immediate and extended family.
In her final years, she returned home to Massachusetts to live with her sister, Patricia (Boyle) Lucey, cared for by family and friends, and an amazing team of home health professionals.
A visitation will be held at St. Agnes Church, 186 Woburn Street, Reading, MA, on Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 11:30-12:30, followed by a Funeral Mass at 12:30 PM EST. Burial will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Sheila’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 320 Nevada Street, Suite 201, Newton, MA 02460 (www.alz.org). Arrangements by the Douglass, Edgerley & Bessom Funeral Home, Reading, MA www.johnbdouglassfuneralhome.com
