Alexander Stanley McGaughan

Alexander Stanley (Mack) Mcgaughan passed away on May 3, 2024, in his home in Wellington, Fl from kidney failure. Mack was born the only child of Myrtle Virginia Storm and Alexander Stanley Mcgaughan on July 28, 1938, in Pontiac, Michigan. His first few years were spent living on a farm with his first pet Lila, his collie protector. His family moved to Southeast Washington DC when his father, A Fellow Architect, took a job in the wartime government. And so began Mack’s interest in buildings. He attended Ann Beers elementary school and fondly remembered the “small” town of Washington and riding his bike down Pennsylvania Avenue. The family moved to Bethesda, Maryland but because of the polio scare, Mack spent his summers in Orient Long Island working for a commercial fisherman. His salary was all the fish he could carry home. So began his love of fishing that continued throughout his life. Eventually he and his wife Judy fished around the US and the world and spent their 50th wedding anniversary fishing for peacock bass on the Amazon River in Brazil. And he still baited her fishing line. Mack attended Leland Jr and BCC high school. He had a job with a local public golf course in Potomac where he developed his love for the game of golf and the perfect swing. This became another lifelong interest that took him to Ireland and Scotland for play and to “The Masters” as a spectator making friends with sportscasters at CBS But sadly he never did get the hole in one. Mack attended Penn State University where he joined the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and was a member of the gymnastic squad. He was set up with his roommates sister for a coffee date and the following year they eloped to Maryland. Now things got serious, and the pair moved to Washington DC where Mack attended George Washington University night school and worked as a laborer during the day building houses his father had designed. He learned to read plans at a young age and enjoyed the building process. He graduated with a business major and secured a job with the JW Bateson Construction Co from Texas. In 1963 The company transferred him to Dallas in time to witness the JFK assassination and where he earned his CPA Credentials. He became a VP after 5 years and had learned the whole process from laborer to executive. He loved all aspects of the job and was proud of the buildings he helped build. Although he later moved to Reno and then back to DC he truly loved Texas. In 1988 he was awarded an honorary citizen of Texas by Governor Clements. The next 55 years was spent in Maryland and DC. He worked in the George Hyman construction company which later became the Clark enterprises and eventually had a company with AS Mcgaughan as its name. He worked in every phase of building. And he built hospitals, airports office buildings, embassies etc and travelled around the world doing so. He especially loved the bidding process of the big jobs. He participated in the 911 reconstruction of the Pentagon and attended the unfurling of the flag and opening ceremonies at the Pentagon a year later. He enjoyed recruiting young people at job fairs at various colleges and giving seminars and mentoring the new blood to help them succeed. Mack was a family man who worked at creating the perfect life on his farm in Clarksburg. He and his wife built their first barn, cut down locust trees to make fence posts, cleared fields and created horse paths through the woods. He helped put a hydraulic lift into the arena for the handicapped riding program and was the major fundraiser for it. He educated his kids about snakes, and beavers, taught them to dive and do back flips on their ponies and drive the tractor and farm truck. He could read their story books backward, he drove the horse vans to the shows and ran the grounds with his big video recorder on his shoulders. He golfed, played tennis, sailed, skied and fished and hunted wild game, He had his colors in the New Market fox hounds, was DC of the Frederick Pony Club. and sat on the Frederick Hospital Board. He played the guitar and sang and wrote funny limericks and songs, “Bait Tackle Beer and Ice” was the favorite. He was kind and funny with a leprechaun sense of humor, a gift for puns and a word smith. He was reliable and responsible. The man who could find solutions to life’s problems. He was the ultimate good guy who loved his life and was grateful for what he had! He was a good husband, a good father, and a good friend, a good worker and a good teacher! He is survived by his wife of 63 years Judith Engelbrink McGaughan, One son Mark Stockwell McGaughan and wife Madgie McGaughan from Comus Md, One daughter Erin Jennifer Mcgaughan and husband John Hockberg of Seattle Washington. Four Grandsons, James Alexander Mcgaughan, Michael Stockwell Mcgaughan, Benjamin Mcgaughan Hochberg, Samuel Mcgaughan Hochberg. one great grand daughter Miranda Mcgaughan. Extended family of sisters and brothers in laws and nieces and nephews’ He was predeceased by his son Patrick Galen Mcgaughan in 2020. A memorial service will be held at St Peters Methodist church in Wellington Fl at 11:00 AM on May 18. Attendees are welcome to visit at residence 13114 Doubletree cir after the service to tell stories and reminisce. For those who wish to give a lasting gift Mack would be grateful for contributions to the “Packy award” at the us eventing association.

Alexander Stanley McGaughan

July 28, 1938 - May 3, 2024