(Nov. 29, 1922-Apr. 20, 2017). H. Roll McLaughlin was born in Indianapolis. He graduated from and attended before serving in the United States Navy 108th Naval Construction Battalion during World War II. In the battalion, known as the Seabees, McLaughlin participated in the Normandy invasion by aiding in the construction and operation of the temporary Mulberry Harbor at Omaha Beach.
Upon his return to Indiana in 1945, McLaughlin apprenticed with architects Fred Mertz and Hugh Bremmerman before joining Edward James, Architect. McLaughlin went on to serve as president of the firm that became .
McLaughlin developed a national reputation as a historic preservation architect working on such important Indianapolis buildings as the , , Gothic Chapel at , the former J. K. Lilly Jr. House known as Oldfields on the campus, and Foster Hall at . He often partnered with his wife Linda, an interior designer, to complete preservation projects.
In 1960, at the invitation of Edward James, McLaughlin joined the board of Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, later . He forged a lifelong bond with fellow board member while working on the organization’s first project, the in Indianapolis. In 1969, Lilly presented McLaughlin with a donation of stock, establishing the organization’s endowment. McLaughlin served as chairman emeritus of Indiana Landmarks’ board of directors until his death.
McLaughlin served on numerous national and state boards of directors of architectural and heritage organizations. Among them are the Historic American Buildings Survey, National Park Service, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Park Tudor School, Indianapolis Public Library Foundation, Crown Hill Foundation, Crown Hill Cemetery, Indiana Historical Society, and Indianapolis Museum of Art. He received the Sagamore of the Wabash from Governors Branigin, Bowen, and Orr.
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