John "Joe" McLaughlin, 89 of Belmond, passed away Monday, January 4, 2021 at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Belmond. A Mass of Christian Burial for Joe McLaughlin will be held on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at 10:30 AM at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 1207 3rd Street North East in Belmond with Father Jerry Blake officiating. Graveside services will follow at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery in Belmond. Visitation for Joe McLaughlin will be held on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 111 Luick's Lane South in Belmond, and will continue one hour prior to Mass at the church on Thursday morning. John Joseph "Joe" McLaughlin was born September 16, 1931 to John Francis "Jack" and Margaret Frances (Blair) McLaughlin. He was raised and educated in Belmond, graduating from Belmond High School with the Class of 1949. Joe was united in marriage to Ramona Ann Thompson on October 7, 1950 at the old St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Belmond. Shortly thereafter, Joe enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, along with his buddy Roger Wagner. He and Mona moved to San Diego with Roger and his wife Marge where the two men attended boot camp. Joe eventually shipped out to Korea, where he served until the time of his discharge, in 1952. Joe and Mona returned to Belmond, where Joe began working as a mechanic for Mona's dad Raymond at Ray's Body Shop. In 1952, Joe bought and began operating the service station, which he and Mona operated until he finally retired in December of 2018. Joe also owned Joe's Skelly, McLaughlin Brothers Chevrolet in Belmond from 1965 – 2006, along with Brothers Amoco, and the Belmond Bulk Plant. Joe enjoyed being outdoors, water skiing in summer months, snowmobiling during winter, trapshooting, pheasant hunting and golfing. He was an avid reader, especially mysteries and military history books. Joe and Mona travelled extensively over the years, including several trips to Australia, a trip to Italy, Germany and several winters in Arizona. Joe was active in the Belmond Jaycees, and competed in a tandem bicycle race to Dallas, Texas in 1964 with longtime friend El Rallis as part of a Jaycees event there. He was a member of the Belmond Chamber of Commerce, BIDCO, and was a member of the North Iowa State Bank board. Joe was a lifelong member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Belmond, where he served on parish council, finance council and as a member of the new church building committee following the tornado. Joe is well-known for being extremely generous, for having helped numerous people in the community get started in their businesses, offering many a high school student their first after school job, all the while sharing his incredible work-ethic and very strong family values with everyone he came in contact with. He is also described as a workaholic, he and Mona divided up the work, each playing their roles in business and with raising their family. Joe is survived by his wife of 70 years, Ramona McLaughlin of Belmond; sons Joseph Wayne McLaughlin of Belmond, Jonathan Ray McLaughlin of Melbourne, Australia, Anthony Duane (Gayla) McLaughlin of Belmond and Mark Alan (Pattie) McLaughlin of Apollo Beach, Florida; grandchildren Erin (Mike) Strong, Tonishia (Eric) Dockstader, Chase (Kacie) McLaughlin, Jordon (Sarah) McLaughlin, Zachariah (Ashleigh) McLaughlin; great-grandchildren Mykaela, Kyara, Keenen, Emersyn, Bailey, Anthony, Alexander (Daryl), Kinzee (Cheryl), Murphy and Hayden; sisters Gert (Dick) Bormann of Humboldt and Ruth (Jim) Aldrich of Belmond; brother Steve (Sharon) McLaughlin of Phoenix, Arizona; along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Margaret Mary McLaughlin (in infancy), Betty (Phil) Cook, Carmen (Jerry) Monnihan and brother Jim (Edith) McLaughlin. In lieu of flowers and customary remembrances, Joe's family suggests memorial contributions be made to Belmond VFW, Belmond Food Pantry, or St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and sent to their attention c/o Ewing Funeral Home, P.O. Box 301, Belmond, Iowa, 50421.