Gene Lomax McLaughlin, born May 8, 1930, in Cool Springs, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on September 16, 2026, surrounded by his family. He lived a long and adventurous life filled with service, creativity, hard work, and an endless curiosity about how things worked.

That adventurous spirit started early. As a young man, Gene built and flew homebuilt airplanes, beginning a lifelong fascination with machinery and mechanical things.

Gene was drafted into the military during the Korean War, where he served his country in combat and was awarded two Purple Hearts for wounds received during his service.

After returning home, Gene built a career in North Carolina’s furniture industry. He was the father of two children, Jack McLaughlin and Diana McLaughlin.

Throughout his life, Gene loved collecting and preserving pieces of America’s mechanical past. Antique tractors, steam engines, old machinery, and industrial equipment were among his many interests. He appreciated not only the machines themselves, but the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the people who built them.

Gene was also a talented artist. His interest in preserving the past extended to his detailed drawings, where he captured many of the machines and objects he collected. His artwork became another way of documenting the craftsmanship and mechanical history that fascinated him throughout his life.

His collection and passion eventually gained national attention when Gene was featured on the television show American Pickers.

Gene lived life with a sense of adventure and curiosity that never seemed to leave him. From flying homebuilt airplanes to serving his country, creating art, building a career, and preserving the machines of generations past, he remained interested in how things were made, how they worked, and the stories they carried.

He leaves behind his children, Jack and Diana, along with a lifetime of stories, drawings, collections, adventures, and memories that will continue to be shared by those who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde C. McLaughlin and Margaret Lomax McLaughlin.

Private services will be held.

Memorial donations may be given in memory of Gene to Carolina Caring Foundation, 3975 Robinson Rd., Newton, NC 28658.

Nicholson Funeral Home is honored to serve the McLaughlin family.