Charles H. MacLaughlin, Jr.-Of Swampscott, MA formerly of Marshfield, Everett and Melrose, passed away on December 27th, 2025, after a tough battle from a stroke he suffered while at home. He was 83 years old.

Born on October 14th, 1942, he was the son of the late Charles H. MacLaughlin, M.D. and Helen (Connors) MacLaughlin, and the loving husband of Elaine (Cascetta) MacLaughlin to whom he was married for 59 years.

He was raised in Melrose, MA and graduated from Melrose High School where he went on to attend and graduate from St. Michael's College in Vermont in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in biology. He received a Master's of Education Degree from Boston State College in Urban Education which set the stage for him to dedicate his life-long love of teaching and mentoring students to find a direction and obtain their goals in life. After graduating from St. Michael's College, he was employed by the City of Quincy in 1965 as a biology teacher at Quincy High School where he remained for 38 years. While there, he was actively involved in several diverse programs including counseling and dropout prevention, one of which was the Heritage Program. He also served as the Head of the Quincy High School Science Department from 1985-1988. He enjoyed engaging his students in field trips which included trips to Washington D.C., New York Theaters, Maine Schooner Trips, experiences at a Montana Dude Ranch and developing a performing arts production for the school and community while at Quincy High School. He also took extensive graduate coursework at Bowdoin, Clarkson, and Eastern Nazarene Colleges. He and his students attended Harvard University Extension School evening programs which encouraged his students to excel. When he retired from Quincy High School, his career as a teacher did not end. From 2001 to 2008, he taught English Literature, Science and Religion at the St. Peter's School in Dorchester, MA. In 2006, he became a recipient of the Goldin Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching.

His favorite hobby was boating and cruising the East Coast with yearly trips to Maine which he and his wife enjoyed. His Nordic Tug "Sweet Pea" was moored at the Point of Pines Yacht Club in Revere, MA where he spent many volunteer hours working with his fellow boaters on projects to improve and make the club a welcoming place for the members and their families. As Commodore of the yacht club, he held many public relations type events which involved the surrounding community and a lot of veteran organizations, and he helped found a scholarship fund for young students of the yacht club membership. He also enjoyed his wintertime hobby of woodworking and made giraffes, rocking horses, trains and festive clip art for children's Christmas parties; all of which were enjoyed by his many nieces, nephews, and yacht club children.
Throughout his life he had many personal accomplishments as well. One of them filled a void in his Dad's life as they together, along with his mother, sailed his 34-foot sloop from Boston to Bermuda and back. He participated several times in the Aids Ride from Boston to New York in honor of his late cousin, Robert (Bobby) MacLaughlin, and he represented the State of Connecticut in a Senior Olympics cycling competition held in Florida.

He is the proud father of Charles H. MacLaughlin, III currently of CA and his close friend, Jill Burns, and Philip J. MacLaughlin, currently of SC and his close friend, Anabela Borges. He is the loving "Papa" to his two grandsons, Kennon MacLaughlin and Ian MacLaughlin. He is the older brother of David MacLaughlin and his wife Ann of Gloucester; the late Robie MacLaughlin and late Mary O'Neil. He is the caring Uncle Charlie to his nieces Laura, Diane and Ellen and the loving Great-Uncle Charlie to their sons and daughters. He will also be missed by his cousin Lester MacLaughlin of Marblehead, his cousin Rosemary Dolan of Melrose, and his brother-in-law, Louis Cascetta, his wife, Paula, and his nieces, Nicole, Kristen and Nora of Revere.

Family and friends are kindly invited to attend visiting hours at the J. F Ward Funeral Home, 772 Broadway, Everett on Saturday, January 3rd from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. His funeral service will follow at the funeral home on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Charles' memory may be made to the American Stroke Foundation, 6405 Metcalf Ave., Suite 214, Overland Park, KS 66202.