Sylvia Lovelace Overton McLaughlin

Sylvia Lovelace Overton McLaughlin of Halifax died Dec. 24, 2018, at Virginia Baptist Hospital in Lynchburg after a month of declining health. Born Aug. 23, 1934, in Halifax County, she was the daughter of Louise Powell DeVito and John Overton Jr. She was 84 years old. She was reared by her grandparents, John Edward Powell and Annie Lovelace Powell, on their tobacco farm west of the Town of Halifax. Mrs. McLaughlin was a small business owner and longtime editor of the News & Record newspaper. She was a member of Beth Car Baptist Church and formerly the teacher of the young adult Sunday school class. She was a graduate of Halifax High School and the University of Virginia. She is survived by four children, Tucker Watkins McLaughlin Jr., of Halifax; William Woods McLaughlin (Elizabeth) of Halifax; Ann Lovelace McLaughlin (Martin Rinard) of Mountain View, Ca.; and Thomas Barksdale McLaughlin (Mary Eva Cassada) of South Boston. She was predeceased in October by her younger daughter, Sylvia McLaughlin Chambers (Craig) of Seattle. Also surviving are six grandchildren: Jennifer Ellen McLaughlin of Spotsylvania; Caitlin McLaughlin Chambers of New York City; Adelaide Woods Chambers of Boston; Wilbur Hall McLaughlin of Charlottesville; Christopher Rinard of Mountain View; and Mary Carrington Cassada McLaughlin of South Boston. She is also survived by her aunt, Elizabeth Overton of Halifax, brother-in-law Henry W. McLaughlin III of Richmond, many cousins and other relatives. She was predeceased by her former husband, Tucker Watkins McLaughlin Sr. A funeral for Mrs. McLaughlin will be held Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, at 11 a.m. at Beth Car Baptist Church, 25 Church Road in Halifax, with burial to follow in the church cemetery at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 197 Mountain Road, Halifax. The family will receive friends at the St. John’s Episcopal undercroft following the burial service. Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax County Public School Education Foundation at P.O. Box 1114, Halifax, Va. 24558 or a charity of one’s choice.