Joseph Leo McLaughlin, Jr, of Naples, Fl., and Marblehead, MA, passed away on September 29, 2014 at the age of 73 after a long battle with cancer. He was born in Boston on September 4, 1941, to the parents of Joseph Leo and Irene E. (Michaud) McLaughlin, Sr.,. He grew up in Newburyport, MA, where he attended Newburyport High School. He graduated from Bates College with a BS in Physics in 1964. He began his distinguished optical career at Diffraction Limited Optics Inc. in Bedford, MA. He was the first non-Dutch employee and became immersed in the field of optical theory, design and manufacturing. In 1968, Joe joined ITEK and completed an MS from Northeastern University in Electro Optics in 1972. At ITEK he had the opportunity to help design and build overhead reconnaissance systems (Corona & Hexagon); space missions, Viking (camera to Mars) and Apollo (camera to the moon); manned reconnaissance cameras in the U2 and SR71 as well as ground based telescopes (Keck and AMOS atmospheric compensation). Joe continued at ITEK for over 28 years eventually promoted to Principal Engineer/Manager - Optical Engineering. Following the acquisition of ITEK, he joined Lockheed Martin staff designing satellite optical systems. In 2000 Joe moved to MIT Lincoln Laboratory where laser radar and laser communications filled his life until retirement in 2011. In 1980, he moved his family from Bolton, MA, to Marblehead where he became seriously involved with sail boat racing for 30 years, an avid birder, a world traveler and fearless kayak fisherman.

Joe is survived by his caring wife of 25 years, Jill Chamberlain, his two children and their families; Ian McLaughlin and wife Victoria Samuel, of Marblehead, and Maria McLaughlin, husband Edward Lewis, grandsons Orion and Ronan McLaughlin Lewis, of Oakland, CA. Joe leaves his two dear sisters, MaryAnn Dunbar, and Catherine Duggan and her husband, Gerald, all of Naples. Joe also leaves an extended family, long-standing friends, and exceptional colleagues as well as his grand dogs, Piper and Sassy.

Contributions in Joe's name may be made to the Liposarcoma Research Fund, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology,Attn: Andrew Wagner/Paige Tobie, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. At Joe's request, a celebration of his life was held privately in Marblehead. For more information contact the Murphy Funeral Home, 85 Federal ST.(cor of North ST) Salem. 781-631-8885 or visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com.