First Lady Reverend Pamela Holly McLaughlin

CHESTER, VA - First Lady Reverend Pamela Holly McLaughlin, age 66, passed away on Sunday, April 28, 2024 at her residence.

Public viewing will begin on Sunday, May 5, 2024 from 4 until 7 p.m. at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, 800 Augusta Avenue, Petersburg, VA.

A celebration of life service will be held Monday, May 6, 2024 at 12 p.m. at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, 800 Augusta Avenue, Petersburg, VA. "First Ladies are asked to dress in All-White"

You may live stream the service via https://youtube.com/@SerenityFuneralHomeLive

Entombment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions payable to: CHOSEN GENERATION MINISTRIES or MOBC R.E.A.C.H. and mail to 800 Augusta Avenue, Petersburg, VA.

The family appreciates each expression of love, concern and acts of sympathy. Please keep the McLaughlin & the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church - Petersburg, VA family in your thoughts and prayers.

On Sunday, April 28, 2024, God called an amazing, anointed, and beautiful gift to the world from labor to reward. “Princess Pam,” as she was so affectionately known, was born in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 1958. Pamela was the eldest child of the late Herbert and Anne Holly. Pamela dearly loved her siblings Joyce, Guy, Harry, Dierdre, and Ricky. Pamela was an amazingly gifted young lady who had favor with God and people.

Pamela was educated in the District of Columbia and Danville Public School Systems. Pamela had many gifts that became evident at an early age. While she demonstrated a love for reading, writing, and singing, music quickly became her first love. She received numerous accolades for her singing, including the All-District Honors in Choral Music. Pamela was a gifted soloist and pianist with a voice that wowed the crowds. Pamela also won the prestigious honor of being the first African American Homecoming Queen of George Washington High School (Danville, VA) in 1975. Pamela’s musical gifts and academic excellence earned her a scholarship to Hampton Institute (now Hampton University).

In August of 1978, Pamela married her high school sweetheart, the Reverend Dr. Wesley K. McLaughlin. They enjoyed 45 amazing years of marriage, as they traveled the world together, sang together, ministered together, and loved & inspired many couples with their love, friendship, prayers, and words of wisdom. They were blessed with a son, the Reverend Jameson K. McLaughlin. Pamela was a great inspiration to and supporter of her son. She loved supporting him in sports and ministry. She was also overjoyed to gain a daughter-in-love by the name of Phaedra. One of her greatest joys was spending time with her grandchildren, Charis, Jacob, and Joshua, whom she loved immensely and lit up every time they would say Ga-Ga!

Pamela matriculated from Hampton Institute to Virginia State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, and a Master of Education in Administration & Supervision. While at Virginia State, she sang in the Virginia State University Concert Choir. Her passion for serving her community led her to join Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Always a lady of class, style, and grace, she was the ultimate fashionista.

She was trend setting not only in her “Sunday Best", but also in her casual, everyday wear. Her love of fashion led to the establishment of Chosen Treasures Boutique.

After earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from VSU, Pamela intertwined her love of music with her gift of teaching. Revered as “Momma Mac” by many of her students, Pamela impacted many students and her colleagues through her 20- year career as a choral music educator in the Petersburg and Chesterfield County Public School Systems. Even after her retirement in 1998, Pamela continued to mentor and teach many gifted young ladies.

Pamela was born and baptized in Washington, D.C., but her spiritual growth and development were most impacted at Mt. Sinai Glorious Church of God. There, she began to know God on a much deeper level. It was there that she developed her powerful prayer life, devotion time, and high regard for holiness. At Mt. Sinai, Pamela sang, served, and formed lifetime friendships with people like her longtime mentor and friend, Pastor Yvonne Hines. Pastor Hines’ husband, Bishop John Hines, greatly influenced Pamela and her husband, Rev. Dr. Wesley K. McLaughlin. Years later, Princess Pam and Prince Wesley formed the Gospel group “Chosen Generations”. This wonderful singing group consisted of friends and her siblings who sang across the world.

Pamela was a renowned soloist. She would often sing before her husband preached at revivals, and the congregation would be on fire. However, her talents did not stop there. Not only was Pamela an amazing singer, but she was also an amazing choir director. For many years, she served as the choir director at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, teaching, facilitating workshops, and writing original songs like the current welcome song at Mt. Olivet. Pamela influenced many current singers and choir directors. More importantly, God blessed her with an amazing anointing for worship that was so powerful that it blessed anyone in her presence while she was worshiping in the presence of God.

For many years, Pamela preached the word of God, but in November of 2008, she was officially licensed and later ordained in 2016. She was a faithful member and servant of the Mount Olivet Baptist Church for 40 years.

Pamela always had a heart and passion for world evangelism. She started her journey with her first mission trip to Haiti in 1978. For many years, while she was known for singing and directing, God would use her to speak a word into people’s lives. Her preaching would set people’s souls on fire. Her ministry spanned the United States and extended to Germany, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Suriname, South America, Curacao, French Guyana, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Sikkim-India, Thailand, and her most precious destination, Ghana, West Africa. In Ghana, she co-founded Grace Village International, an organization serving inner-city families.

No matter how much she traveled worldwide, Pamela continued to serve faithfully at Mt. Olivet. She was a faithful member and servant of the Mount Olivet Baptist Church for 40 years. She directed several ministries, including the Women’s Ministry, Christian Education, and the Jubilee Center of Performing Arts. Pamela also served as the founding administrator of the Olivet Christian Academy.

Her passion also led to the founding of Uniquely Chosen Ministries Inc., a missions and mentoring organization, where she trained and mobilized international teams. Uniquely Chosen Ministries include the Preacher’s Partner International Network, The PEARL Girls Project, Destiny Dialogue, the KNEE Summit, and The HOPE Mission. She was truly Uniquely Chosen.

Pamela’s love for writing inspired her to author four books, “Chosen Treasures in Earthen Vessels,” “The Extra Mile-The Rewards of Extreme Leadership,” “Good PEARLS,” and “Write the Vision: The Building Blocks for Women’s Ministry.” She further extended her ministry’s reach through digital content creation with a monthly YouTube broadcast, “Necessary Voices,” and a weekly podcast, “Necessary Voices-Finding Your Sound.”

She leaves to cherish her memory, devoted husband of 45 years, Reverend Dr. Wesley K. McLaughlin of Chester, VA; son, Reverend Jameson K. McLaughlin (Phaedra) of Harrisburg, PA; grandchildren, Charis, Jacob, and Joshua; siblings, Joyce Holly Jones (Jerry) of Chester, VA, Reverend Guy Holly of Fort Worth, TX, Harry Holly (Andrea) of Hanover, VA, Dierdre Holly Pearson (Pate) of Chester, VA, Reverend Herbert Holly II (Annette) of Chester, VA, Barbara McLaughlin of Silver Spring, MD, Brenda Stewart of Fort Mill, SC, and Donald McLaughlin of Fort Mill, SC, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, colleagues in ministry and her loving church family.

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