Bob McLaughlin
Bob McLaughlin died peacefully on November 16, 2024, after saying heartfelt goodbyes to friends and family in an almost festive setting. At nearly 92 years old, Bob was ready to go, although he wasn’t quite ready to leave his lifelong love, Katherine Higgins McLaughlin. They met at a party in 1954 when he was studying economics at Purdue and she was studying nursing at Georgetown. He considered it the luckiest day of his life. They have been inseparable ever since, sharing a beautiful life full of family, friendships, travel and sports.
The proud patriarch of a large family, Bob leaves behind Kathie, his wife of 67 remarkable years, along with their children Marita (Kevin Daly), Mark (Monique Petrov), Florence, and Katherine Prodger. He also adored his grandchildren: Matt and Elena Daly; Ross, Whitney, Grace, and Francesca McLaughlin; Jake Voien; and Cassandra and Marita Prodger. Bob cherished his extended circle of friends, including those from the San Francisco Yacht Club, the St. Francis Yacht Club, the Richmond Golf Club, the Naval Order of the U.S., his book club, his 40 years spent living in Ross and 13 years in Tiburon.
Bob found humor in everything and regaled friends and family with unending jokes and stories about his life.
An enthusiastic leader, Bob excelled in his business career. He moved his family across the country multiple times for the career opportunities he created for himself. He shined at Xerox, rose to become the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company at Fibreboard Corporation, and brought his many talents to the boards of several public and private companies, as well as The Branson School in Ross. He finished his business career by founding The Sutter Group, a consulting company focused on turning around distressed businesses. Bob retired several times over the years, but the compulsion to be productive always won out. Finally, he poured his energy into writing, authoring “The Capture of the U-505,” “Seek to Grow” (a guide to investing for his grandchildren), and his memoir, “Creative Destruction.”
Bob grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he walked a mile uphill in the snow both ways to school. The one thing he knew for sure about Pittsburgh was that he had to get out. And he had the drive to make this happen.
If you knew Bob, you knew he was in the Marine Corps. His time in the Marines shaped his life, instilling discipline, camaraderie and a love for structure. It was during an extended layover in San Francisco in 1955 — on his way to Okinawa — that Bob fell in love with the city. He never forgot its beauty, and in 1971, he brought his family west to Marin County, where they built the foundation of the life they treasure today.
Bob never stopped setting the bar higher for himself and those he loved. Hard work was his mantra, a legacy passed on to his family. Recently, one of his grandchildren remarked about their family’s strong work ethic. This is exactly what he hoped to leave as his legacy and it would have made him so proud.
Bob led an active life. An avid skier, tennis player, sailor and golfer, he was golfing until age 90. Bob and Kathie traveled the world together, and he loved sharing the stories of their adventures. He was also passionate about investing, trading stocks up until his final days. Bob’s life was marked by love, determination and a zest for growth. His family and friends will miss him deeply but take comfort in the values and memories he leaves behind.