William Roy Gaughrin, 93, of Arlington Heights, a former patrol officer with the Chicago Police Department, died Saturday, July 27, in his home. Born in Chicago, Mr. Gaughrin left school in his early teens to work as a shoeshine boy to help support his family. After working briefly in the dry-cleaning business, he joined the Chicago Police Department and served as a patrol officer for more than 30 years. After retiring from the police force, Mr. Gaughrin worked as a security guard for Motorola Corp. until his retirement in the mid-1970s. He and his wife, Hazel, were married for nearly 72 years. Mr. Gaughrin was a quiet man who enjoyed being with his family. “He was a family man. He was dedicated to his family and his work. He spent a lot of time just learning what the children and grandchildren were up to,” said his son, Daniel. In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Gaughrin is survived by a daughter, Patricia Fortman; 12 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in Matz Funeral Home, 410 E. Rand Rd., Mt. Prospect. Service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home.
