Gladys Vivian (Garey) McLaughlin, 77, of Sandy Hook, wife of Denny McLaughlin, mother of three, and grandmother of six, celebrated 49 years of happy marriage this past February, before passing away at home, surrounded by family, April 4. Born April 12, 1937, the eldest of seven children, she grew up on a farm in Rogers, Ohio and was the daughter of Vivian Ruth (Holt) Gilmore and Phillip Ivan Garey, Sr.

She worked her way through college and was the first woman to graduate with a degree in chemical engineering from Youngstown State University.

After marriage, Mrs McLaughlin stayed home to raise her three daughters, while supporting her husband’s career in sales, which kept the family on the move. They finally settled in Connecticut, where they have resided for the past 36 years.

Mrs McLaughlin was an avid homemaker and parent, a Girl Scout leader, a Eucharistic minister, and a CCD teacher. To the kitchen, she brought a scientific precision to baking her signature dishes of cookies, cakes, and breads.

Shortly after moving to Connecticut, Mrs McLaughlin began a new career as a lab manager in the pharmaceutical industry, where she remained for the next 23 years. Successful in her profession, she retired at age 65 and happily began a new chapter in life, which included the pursuit of piano lessons and day trips to NYC for live concerts or museum visits. Most importantly, she looked forward to spending time with her grandchildren, with a special focus on planning the annual summer beach week in Ocean City, N.J.

Her last years were busy and happy. As a volunteer with the Friends of C.H. Booth Library she became known as “the puzzle lady.” She assembled thousands of two-dimensional jigsaw puzzles, along with her team of puzzlers, and sold them at the Friends of the Library Book Sale. She was also a volunteer book mender. She also served two years as president of the Newtown Woman’s Club.

Her husband; her three daughters, Elizabeth McLaughlin of Washington, DC, Michele McLaughlin and her husband, John Sommer, and their children, Brady and Brendan of Alexandria, Va., and Rosalie DiLiberto and her husband, Charlie, and their children, Grace, Adira, Luke, and Sean of Queens, N.Y.; four sisters and one brother, Arlene Westfall of Morgantown, W.V., Mary “Peggy” Cunningham of Lexington, N.C., Nancy Schafer of Wellsville, Ohio, Linda Williams of Stowe, Ohio, and Joseph Garey of Akron, Ohio survive Mrs McLaughlin. She was much loved by all who knew her, especially her nieces and nephews.

Her parents; her stepfather Herbert Oscar Gilmore; her brother Phillip Ivan Garey, Jr; and former son-in-law Buck Breland preceded her in death.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St Joseph’s Church, 163 Whisconier Road, Brookfield, Thursday, April 9, at 10 am. Friends may call at Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, Wednesday, April 8, from 2 to 4 pm, and 6 to 8 pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Regional Hospice and Homecare of Western Connecticut, 30 Milestone Road, Danbury CT  06810, or at www.regionalhospicect.org.