Debbie Lynn Newman McLaughlin, 73, of Austin, passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Little Elm, Texas.
Daughter of the late Margaret Mairm Speed and John (Jake) Taylor Newman, Debbie was born on November 18, 1950, at Hugo Memorial Hospital in Hugo, Oklahoma. Debbie grew up alongside older sister Mitzie and younger brother Frank, first in Texas and later in New Mexico. She attended Burleson Elementary School in Odessa, Texas, Crockett Junior High School in Odessa, Texas, Hobbs High in Hobbs, New Mexico, and college in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Debbie married Paul White in 1967 and welcomed her first daughter Paula in 1968 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She later married Lee McLaughlin in 1974 and welcomed her second daughter Natalie in 1977 in Farmington, New Mexico. Debbie and Lee celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with her daughter, son-in-law, and all of her grandchildren last week.
The McLaughlin’s moved to Austin in 1978 where they lived for 44 years – 40 of which were spent in their home on Sandy Loam Trail.
During those 40 years, Debbie enjoyed and excelled at her job as a travel agent, planning luxury travel for hundreds of clients to some of her favorite locations – including Costa Rica, New York, and all over Europe. She started her career as a bookkeeper and travel agent for Capital Travel, before moving to her long-time position as both travel agent and manager at Anderson Mill Travel (later Rico Tours, then Campbell Travel).
Debbie spent 13 wonderful years sailing Lake Travis with Lee on their sailboats, 21-foot Ariel and later 27-foot Gypsea. Their memories on the lake were some of their fondest, and her love of sailboats and lighthouses never diminished.
Debbie was incredibly well-read and devoured books, movies, and television programs. She particularly loved biographies, having read most books on both the Kennedys and the Royal Family. She adored classic Hollywood films and starlets and gave Audrey Hepburn a run for her money in both beauty and dramatics.
Debbie loved all animals and took great joy throughout the years in caring for her many beloved dogs — Nugget, Anje, Natty, Trouble, and Charlie — who were all part of the family.
Debbie and Lee moved to Little Elm, Texas in 2020 to be closer to family.
Along with her parents, Debbie was also preceded in death by her daughter Natalie McLaughlin Chapman, who passed July 18th, 2007.
She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Lee McLaughlin; daughter, Paula Ward and husband Marce of Little Elm; granddaughters, Alixe Stewart and husband, Sean of Astoria, New York; Carly Hill and husband Justice of Little Elm; great-grandchildren, Aiden Hodges and Natalie Dee Hill; sister Mitzie Shoemake of Odessa, Texas; brother Frank Newman and wife Teresa of Midland, Texas; niece Nikki Brown and husband Michael, great niece Rebecca Brown and great nephews Zach Brown and Taylor Newman, her beloved dog Charlie, and many friends who love her and will miss her dearly.
A celebration of life service will be at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 19th at Grace Avenue United Methodist Church in Frisco, officiated by Christopher Vaughan. The family will receive friends immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, we are asking for donations to F.L.E.A.S – Friends of Little Elm Animal Shelter – in Debbie’s name.