George McNaughton

GT was born in Coldwater, Michigan to Ford Blaine and Lena Mae (Mulchahey) McNaughton on April 17,1951. He was the youngest of three brothers. He grew up in Fremont, Indiana where he graduated from Fremont High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from University of Oregon, his law degree from Indiana University, and a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame. He returned to Fremont and married his high school sweetheart Beth Hadene Tredway in 1973.

They lived in Fremont where their lives revolved around raising their six children, their membership in the LDS church, and GT’s law practice. He was a pillar of that community, serving on multiple boards and organizations. On August 30, 1988, Beth unexpectedly died, leaving him a widower with six young children.

GT remarried to Susan Stookey, and they were married from 1990 to 1996. In 1994, they and their now seven children moved to Springfield, Vermont. In Springfield, GT devoted himself to a new community. He practiced law with George Lamb, served on the school board, worked on restoring and keeping Park Street School as a town treasure, made a run as Springfield State Representative, and had just stepped down as Selectman this past term. Many in Springfield knew him for his cantankerous public persona, always tirelessly advocating for the economic recovery of Springfield. He spent his evenings and weekends imagining ways to revitalize the town. He was a dreamer and a visionary who loved Springfield and being a Vermonter. He was a reformed Indiana-republican, so reformed and progressive perhaps unrecognizable to his mid-west hometown.

In 1997, he married Kathleen Maugherman, with whom he spent the next 25 years at their home in Springfield. GT and Kathy, with a big home and even bigger hearts, opened their doors to more than their (together) eleven children. They had dozens of foster children, family friends, and church friends who would live with them when they needed a place to stay, be it a day, a month, or a year. He dabbled in farming (badly), gardening (better), and feeding birds (successfully). He loved studying history, taking road trips with Kathy, and getting into heated and over-the-top Facebook “discussions”. He was an avid reader and enjoyed huge family gatherings and watching movies with his grandkids. He could be seen at each and every track and cross country meet first of his children and then of his grandchildren; yelling loudly while sitting in his lawn chair, with an umbrella and a bag of M&Ms.

GT is predeceased by his first wife Beth Tredway McNaughton and two stillborn children, Laddie and Lassie. He is also predeceased by his daughter-in-law Laura Cody McNaughton. He is survived by his wife Kathleen McNaughton, and his many children: Justin and Candace (née Baker) McNaughton of Toronto, Ontario; Nathan and Marina (née Wood) McNaughton of Weathersfield, Vermont; Heidi Mills McNaughton of Springfield, Vermont; Ethan McNaughton of Weathersfield, Vermont; Zachary and Wendi (née Dowst) McNaughton of Cavendish, Vermont; Brigham and wife Bethany (née Walls) McNaughton of Kittery, Maine; Ian McNaughton of Norfolk, Virginia; and Aaron Kent of Morrison, Colorado. He is also survived by his stepdaughters: Amy Maugherman Lewis of Angola, Indiana; Audri Maugherman Stockman of Angola, Indiana; and Dawn Maugherman of Lagrange, Indiana; Additionally, he is survived by his two brothers: Earl McNaughton of Arizona; and Lee McNaughton of Springfield, Vermont. Finally, he was survived by his 20 grandchildren.

Services were held Saturday, April 2, 2022, at 2 PM at the Park Street Auditorium in the Park Street School in Springfield, Vermont.

Visitation was held at the Davis Memorial Chapel beforehand from 11AM to 1PM located at 99 Summer Street in Springfield, Vermont.

Private burial for GT was held at the Ray-Covenanter Cemetery in Fremont, Indiana.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Laura Cody McNaughton Memorial Fund in Honor of George McNaughton mailed to: Lamb and McNaughton, PO Box 860, Springfield, VT 05156 or to The Springfield Improvement Fund in Honor of George McNaughton mailed to: Springfield Town Hall, 96 Main Street, Springfield, VT 05156 care of Jeff Mobus, or The Ray-Covenanter Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 63, Fremont, Indiana 46737.