Lucia "Noel" Noel McLaughlin

Born in LaGrange, IN, she was the daughter of the late Channing Todd and the late Judy and Hugh Edsall. She grew up in Ligonier and South Bend, IN, and in Asheville, NC.

She retired in 2019 after a career in strategic communications, public relations and journalism that spanned more than 40 years. She also worked as a high school English teacher when she graduated from Appalachian State University in 1978.

She most recently served as director of marketing and communications for the North Carolina Community Foundation, a position she held for 10 years.

Her career in corporate communications spanned nearly 20 years. She led the communications department for First Citizens BancShares, the parent company of the largest family-controlled bank in the United States. She also led her own strategic communications company, which served corporate, small business and non-profit clients for five years.

She was co-founder of The Mountain Times, a weekly newspaper that remains in print in North Carolina's High Country. She has worked as a newspaper editor, reporter and photographer.

Noel's community leadership over the span of her career included service on the Hussman School Alumni Board at UNC; board member, the William C. Friday Fellowship Program of the Wildacres Leadership Initiative; board and development chair for the NC Center for Nonprofits; board member for the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce; president of Leadership Raleigh Alumni Association; founding board member of Kids Voting Wake County; and board member of the Food Bank of North Carolina, now Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC.

McLaughlin received numerous professional honors and awards over the years for community leadership, writing, corporate broadcast news production and communications, and marketing campaigns – including an international award for annual reports.

She graduated cum laude from Appalachian State University in 1978 and received her master's degree in journalism in 1986 from the Hussman School of Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In retirement she returned to education as a substitute teacher in Wake County Public Schools, worked for the NC Board of Elections and volunteered at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Of her many accomplishments she was most proud of her children with her husband Michael Ralph McLaughlin, twins John McLaughlin of Raleigh and Claire McLaughlin of Asheville. Her devotion to and love for her children was unparalleled.

In addition to her husband and children, she is survived by her beloved son-in-law, Kevin Proum. She is also survived by siblings John Todd, Terry Langdon, Beth Chamberlain, Margaret Krantz, and Jim Edsall; father-in-law Ralph McLaughlin; siblings-in-law Linda LaRose, Donna Otto, Pat McLaughlin and Beth McLaughlin; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Services will be in Charlotte and Raleigh.

On Wednesday, March 23, a graveside service will be held at noon at Back Creek Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1821 Back Creek Church Road, Charlotte. The family will receive friends in the old fellowship hall afterwards.

Sunday, March 27, services will be at 2 p.m. at Church of the Nativity, 8849 Ray Road, Raleigh. The family will receive friends in the parish hall following the service.

Flowers are welcome and donations may be made to the North Carolina Community Foundation, the UNC Hussman School of Journalism, the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC, Transitions LifeCare of Raleigh, or the charity of your choice.