Most Worshipful Brother J.C. McLaughlin

Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah 1991

Jay, as he is commonly called, was born October 16,1934 at home on a wheat farm in the panhandle of Texas near the small town of Channing. He started school in French, New Mexico. This town no longer exists. His Family moved from New Mexico in 1943 and most of his adolescent years were spent on a dairy farm in northeast Texas at Sulphur Springs where he graduated from high school. He received a B.S. degree in chemistry from East Texas State Teachers College in 1956 and attended one year of graduate school at The University of Oklahoma where he was employed as a chemistry teaching assistant.

He married Nancy Ann Webb in 1954 and they have two sons; John and Brad.

After being employed as a chemist for two years at Temco Aircraft and two years at Texas Instruments, his desire to move to the mountains resulted in his seeking employment with Thiokol Chemical Corp. as a chemist.

So the McLaughlins moved to Brigham City, Utah in 1961 where Jay was made a Master Mason in Amity Lodge # 23 in 1965. He was employed at Great Salt Lake Minerals and Chemical (GSL) in 1966. He retired in 1999 as Senior Research Chemist.

Thus far, Jay has served Amity Lodge #23 as Worshipful Master 5 1/2 times starting in 1972 and as MWGM in 1991.

He has been active in Scottish Rite and has been honored with the 33rd Degree. After having served as head of the Chapter, Council, and Commandery in Ogden, Utah, he was elected a KYCH member of York Rite in Priory #47. He has served in 1980 as Worthy Grand Patron of The Order of The Eastern Star and 12 times as Worthy Patron of Corinne Chapter # 11, as Chaplain of El Kalah Shrine Temple, and as Eminent Prior of the Past Commanders Association. He was recently awarded the Legion of Honor by the DeMolay and is a member of the Red Cross of Constantine. He is very proud of these honors and will continue to serve where needed in the Masonic Family.

He has always believed in service and has served as a teacher and Deacon in the First Baptist Church and is currently a teacher and Trustee in the Methodist Church, both in Brigham City. His motto is Quality, Fun, and Service.

His earnest hope is that mankind and Masonry will be better for his having passed this way.

Electronically Transcribed as written without corrections to grammar or spelling by Aaron E. Saathoff, P.M., March, 2005.

Bio updated October 27, 2009 - George Winters, Grand Historian