Robert Victor (Mac) McLaughlin, 83, passed away peacefully with family by his side on Tuesday June 06, 2023, in Rapid City South Dakota.

Born August 29th, 1939, in Nampa, Idaho, to Celestine and Victor McLaughlin, Robert lived his audacious young life with his three siblings Helen, Tom, and Dan along with a handful of mischievous neighborhood kids who were always looking for an adventure. Robert always had a story from childhood, whether it was waxing up an old car hood to slingshot themselves down the hillside, being the only child on the train that had a banana and getting stares from all the adults, finding an old tire to climb in to and roll each other down the street, or playing war games and putting a bullet in a vice just out of sheer curiosity, he always had a good laugh when reminiscing about his childhood.

After graduating high school in 1957, from Blackfoot Idaho, Robert enlisted in the National Guard and went to basic training in Kansas. He then moved to Yankton, South Dakota to work for Northwest Bell telephone company. He met and married Donna Larson and had his first two daughters, Beth and Jill. He then transferred to Spearfish South Dakota to work for Northwest Bell Telephone Company which later became AT&T, this is where he met and married Roxanne Porter and later had their daughters, Katie and Megie.

Robert enjoyed fishing throughout his life, but he is very fond of the times he spent with his brother Tom and good friends Al and Rhoda on the Big Horn and Snake River. Many summers were spent at the fishing camps guiding and fly fishing. The fishing gurus even decided to take on the salmon fishing boats of Alaska. There are many entertaining stories from these adventures but Robert's favorite one to tell was about the time the bear was lurking around the cabin and they discovered they had left the gun on the boat. In later years, Robert enjoyed passing down his love for fishing to his grandchildren and making sure to take them on all sorts of adventures to his favorite lakes and rivers. He savored every second of teaching the grandchildren everything from how to tie their own fly's down to the proper forward and back cast to get that line to lay just right out there on the water. It was truly something special to see him fishing with the grandchildren.

Robert had an enormous heart and a wonderful sense of humor. He was generous, devoted, and valiant. He was clever and full to the brim with knowledge gained through all his life experiences, he was a jack of all trades.

He will be remembered for all the heart he shared with his friends and family. He truly loved each of them- and if you knew him, you knew it. When his time came, he carried himself with dignity, strength, and full of love for those who went before him. He will be missed dearly.

He is survived by his wife, Roxanne; children, Beth (Jeff) Martin of Mandan, ND, Jill (Rich) Leach of Watford City, ND, Katie (Matt) Rogers of Spearfish, SD, and Megie (Seth) Martens of Lead, SD; grandchildren: Logan Martin, Kenzie Hunt, Tayler Albers, Halle, Averie, Jaxon, and Rachel Rogers, and Xander and Ryker Martens; three siblings: Helen McLaughlin, Tom (Jane) McLaughlin, and Dan (Larry) McLaughlin; as well as beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.  Robert is preceded in death by his parents Victor and Celestine McLaughlin; brother John Edward McLaughlin; as well as Grandparents.

Robert was cremated on June 8, 2023. His remains will be taken back to his home state of Idaho and dispersed in his most cherished place, along the Southfork of the Snake River. A service will take place with family at that time. The family would like to invite you to a celebration of life reception, which will be held at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel on June 15th from 3:00-5:00 p.m.

Arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapels and Isburg Crematory of Spearfish. Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com