Robert  "Bob"  McLaughlin, 72, of rural Akron, Iowa, formerly of Cherokee, Iowa, passed away suddenly Friday evening, March 15, 2024 at CHI Health in Missouri Valley, Iowa.

A Celebration of Life service will be on Saturday, July 6, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cherokee, Iowa.  Visitation with the family present will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. prior to the service on Saturday, July 6, 2024.  The Boothby Funeral Home of Cherokee, Iowa is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Bob was born on May 25, 1951 to William "Bill" and Verna (Mueller) McLaughlin at Cherokee, Iowa.  He attended Cherokee Schools, graduating in 1969.  He was united in marriage to Linda Guthridge on January 19, 1968 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cherokee, Iowa.

Bob worked as an electrician and truck driver until his retirement in 2015.

He was a member of the Lutheran church.

In his free time, Bob loved spending time with his family and grandkids.  His favorite hobby was to barbeque.  He was a member of the KCBS-Kansas City Barbecue Society.  He was a certified master judge from completing 100 competitions to earn his 100th pin.  He enjoyed judging competitions with KCBS and S.I.N.  During the Christmas holiday season, he provided joy to those young and old while dressing up being Santa Claus.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Verna McLaughlin, grandparents, Benard and Ella Mueller and Lawrence and Evelyn McLaughlin, infant sister Linda McLaughlin, brother Don McLaughlin, brother-in-law Bruce Strand, and grandson Michael Wayne McLaughlin, parents-in-law Gerald and AnnaBelle McKenzie and Lewis Guthridge.

Bob will lovingly be remembered by his wife, Linda McLaughlin of Akron, Iowa; three sons, James (Suyapa) McLaughlin of Lancaster, Wisconsin, Heath (Michelle) McLaughlin of San Ramon, California, and Jason McLaughlin of Sioux City, Iowa; 26 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren; sisters Marcia Phipps of Thornhill, Tennessee and Sylvia Strand of Cherokee, Iowa; mother-in-law Nancy Guthridge of Paullina, Iowa.