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J. Edd McLaughlin has, by reason of his prominence in the affairs of Rotary International, done more than any other individual in making the city of Ralls known to the outside world. He was one of the charter members of the local Rotary Club, and has served as president and been conspicuously active in the counsels of this world-wide organization for a number of years. In 1940 he was chosen as one of the international directors. This honor is particularly significant when it is realized that there are just twelve international directors, of whom only five live in the United States. Mr. McLaughlin has also served as district governor for the West Texas district. He was on the Convention committee for the 1942 gathering held in Toronto, Canada, which he and his wife attended.The life of Edd McLaughlin presents a cyclorama of achievements of the town from the time he drove stakes for surveying in 1911 to its present development.
He and Tom McCully assisted T.E. Whittis of Plainview in surveying the townsite along with the late Frank McLaughlin, head chain carrier, and late Jennings Anderson of Plainview, chain carrier.
Mr. McLaughlin has been instrumental in organizing some of the most important civic clubs in the community such as the Chamber of Commerce, Business Men's Luncheon Club, now disbanded, and the Rotary Club. He has served as president of each of these organizations and is a charter member of the Methodist Church. He helped to organize the Boy Scout troop of Ralls and assisted in forming the South Plains Area Council, of which he has been finance chairman. He also has served as national committeeman of the organization.
Due to his sincere inimitable efforts for the welfare of the community, Ralls is considered one of the most outstanding towns on the South Plains.
He started out as assistant cashier of the bank organized by his father, W.E. McLaughlin. He is now vice-president.
He had charge of the Owens land at Owens, Texas, in 1924, which consisted of 25,000 acres. In 1925 he took over the Crosby County Cattle land of 50,000 acres located in the breaks under the Cap Rock. Most of this territory was cut up into farms and sold.
Edd received his education from the Emma High School, West Texas State Teachers College in Canyon, Texas, and Draughon's Business College in Ft. Worth.
Chicago, Aug. 3, 1951 - J. Edd McLaughlin, Vice-President and Director of the Security State Bank and Trust Co., of Ralls, Texas, has been appointed an alternate member of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International.
RALLS (Special) - J. Edd McLaughlin, past president of Rotary International and former chairman of the Texas Tech University Board of Regents, died at 12:40 p.m. Thursday in Lubbock's Methodist Hospital after a brief illness.Services for McLaughlin, 85, of Ralls will be at 4 p.m. Saturday in the First United Methodist Church here. The Rev. Howard Marcom, pastor, will officiate, and Robert L. Burgess and Rex Webster will assist.
Burial will follow in Ralls Cemetery under the direction of the Carter Adams Funeral Home here.
The Childress County native moved to Crosby County in 1905. He was educated in the public schools of Texas, graduated from West Texas State Teachers College of Canyon and Brantley-Draughon Business College in Fort Worth.
In 1912, he joined his father and his brothers in founding two private banks in Crosby County. He was chairman of the board of the Security State Bank and Trust Co. in Ralls and was joint proprietor and executive of the McLaughlins, a family land holding and investment group. He also owned and operated extensive farming and oil properties.
McLaughlin was a charter member, director and past president of the Ralls Rotary Club and served later as governor and director of Rotary International. He was elected president of Rotary International for 1960-1961.
He was appointed to the Texas Tech Board of Regents and served from 1961 to 1967, including a term as chairman of the board.
McLaughlin served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas from 1947 to 1967. He also served as past president of the Caprock Bankers Association, South Plains Bankers Association and chairman of the seventh district of the Texas Bankers Association.
He has served as director and past president of the Ralls Chamber of Commerce, past director of the Panhandle Plains Historical Society, member of the Executive Council and National Council of the Boy Scouts of America, receiving the Silver Beaver Award.
McLaughlin was a Mason, member of the Khiva Shrine Temple and appears in Who's Who.
He has been decorated with the Order of the Southern Cross of Brazil and the Order of Merit of Chile. In 1960, Rikkyo University in Tokyo, Japan conferred a doctor of humanities degree on him.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church and served as trustee.
Survivors include his wife; Coye; a brother, Marvin A. of Ralls; a sister, Claranell Lewis of La Jolla, Calif.; four stepchildren.
Great nephews will be pallbearers. The Ralls Rotary Club will be honorary pallbearers.
Lubbock Avalanche Journal, September 28, 1979
Record provided by Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum
transcribed by Linda Fox Hughes
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