John P. McLoughlin
June 20, 1936 - September 25, 2022
John Patrick McLoughlin, 86, died peacefully in his sleep at his longtime home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. His wife of 60 years, Barbara, was at his side.
He was born on June 20, 1936 in Knoxville, Tennessee to Iris Marie Webb and M. Patrick McLoughlin. As the first of six children, whose parents valued education above all else, John
excelled in his scholastic achievements. His love of learning, combined with steadfast determination to make his mark in this world, propelled him to success in his chosen profession of law.
He grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, after his family moved there from Tennessee when John was five. He graduated from St. Mary’s Cathedral in 1954 as President of his class and armed with sufficient scholarships to attend John Carroll University, a private, Jesuit college in Cleveland Ohio. He was a class officer all four years of college, joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), and graduated magna cum laude. He completed his ROTC obligation at Fort Eustis, Virginia, and was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the United States Army, just before entering Harvard Law School in 1959.
While at Harvard he met Barbara Anne Davenport, an elementary school teacher in Cambridge. They married in 1962 and began a love affair that would last, with undiminished ardor, for the 60 years that followed. After John’s graduation from law school, the couple moved to Santa Monica, California where John joined the law firm of Latham & Watkins, then a firm of 25 lawyers. Upon learning of John’s passing, Latham & Watkins shared the following:
A giant of the legal profession and a true legend to all who knew him, John joined the firm in 1962 after graduating from Harvard Law School and quickly established himself as a skillful practitioner on corporate acquisitions, dispositions, and leveraged buyouts. Scores of clients were beneficiaries of his brilliant and deeply knowledgeable counsel before he retired in 1996 after nearly 35 years at the firm.
John was widely considered a visionary and major contributor to Latham’s success and the burgeoning Corporate Department throughout the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s and was instrumental in the leadership team that began Latham’s rise to the top of the rankings, serving on the Associates Committee and twice on the Executive Committee.
Upon reflection of KKR’s 45th anniversary, client and friend George Roberts said,
I remember our first meeting when few knew what to make of what we were doing, however, [John] stepped in and sponsored KKR within Latham & Watkins. [He] was a great lawyer, counselor and friend. [John] provided exceptional advice, especially in the early days when no one really knew what Leveraged Buyout was and the term Private Equity was not yet invented.
After retiring from Latham & Watkins, John devoted much of his time to scholarly pursuits. A prodigious reader, he read multiple daily newspapers and a wide array of magazines and books. One of his few hobbies was collecting a massive library that reflected his wide range of interests and ran the gamut from the Greek and Roman classics, to Will & Ariel Durant’s Story of Civilization and American literature to contemporary crime potboilers. He read many if not most of the books in his collection.
He had a deep appreciation of classic literature and became a frequent participant at the weekslong, in-resident classes at St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The classes offered multifaceted studies of Shakespeare, Dante and others. John was invited and served on St. John’s board of directors for several years.
John was mindful and proud of his roots -- the son of a first-generation Irish immigrant and a descendant of 17th century Scotch-Irish settlers in Appalachia. While he eschewed the cocktail -party scene, he was delightful company in smaller settings primarily family dinners and get-togethers. He was a quiet, thoughtful man and humble about his success. He was articulate using few words that were insightful and precise. He loved the gentle teasing that went on in his family to which he contributed greatly. He had a wicked, dry sense of humor that perfectly captured a scene or punctured pretense. His family lives in the legacy he created. They will honor his life and accomplishments and above all will miss him and all that he was to them.
John is survived by his wife Barbara -- marrying her, John often said, was the best decision he made in life and one from which all good things followed. Also surviving are his four children: Linda McLoughlin Figel (Matt Figel), Patty McLoughlin Major (Paul Major), Cathy McLoughlin and Michael McLoughlin and 10 grandchildren: Sara McLoughlin Figel, Erin Dora McLoughlin Figel, David Patrick Figel, Danielle McLoughlin Major, John (“Jack”) McLoughlin Major, Michael McLoughlin Major, Chet McLoughlin Major, Kaito John McLoughlin, Milan Joselyn McLoughlin and Kylie Nicole McLoughlin; brother Robert J. McLoughlin, sister Mary T. McLoughlin; seven nieces and nephews and many beloved McLoughlin, Webb, Carini and Mitchell cousins in Tennessee and Ireland. He was preceded in death by brothers James C. McLoughlin, Michael J. McLoughlin, and sister Catherine E. McLoughlin.
A private family memorial was held on October 1st. There will be a celebration of John’s life on Monday, December 19th. In lieu of flowers the family has suggested donations be made to the Brain Health Center at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence St. John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica to further their mission of providing comprehensive and holistic care to patients with dementia and associated neurological disorders, as well as problems of memory loss. For more information: pacificneuro.org/donate