Community Remembers Mildred McHugh

Mrs. Mildred (King) McHugh, a longtime resident of Waltham, died on Thurday, Dec. 19, 2013 at Whitney Place in Natick. She was 90. She was married for more than 62 years to the late John Joseph McHugh, who died in 2008. Her entire life reflected the importance of family, faith and education to her.

Born in Cambridge on March 22, 1923, a daughter of the late Myles and Nora (Connors) King who emigrated from Ireland to Watertown, she was the sister of the late Myles C. King, Commander, U.S. Navy. She moved to Waltham in 1947 after she married John J. McHugh.

Mildred spent her early years in Watertown, where she excelled as a student, taught Sunday School, and worked to support her education. A 1940 graduate of Watertown High School, Mildred (Millie) earned a B.A. in education from Framingham State College in 1944 and was a longtime member of the Alumni Association of the college. She was a dedicated elementary school teacher for decades and received an M. Ed. from Lesley College. 

Following college, Mildred taught in the Lexington schools. Later after her four children entered school she taught first in Newton, then became a teacher of the fifth grade at the Banks School in Waltham, where she taught for 30 years and served as a substitute teacher for a decade after her retirement. 

Mildred led Girl Scout troops and volunteered at Cedar Hill Girl Scout camp. She was an avid reader who founded a Waltham book club in the 1970s. Mildred was an active member of the Waltham Education Association and then of the Waltham Retirement Board. With her late husband John, she was a longtime board member of the Waltham Arts Council. A very active member of St. Jude's Parish, including the Couples Club, Mildred served as a eucharistic minister for more than two decades.

Mildred leaves four children, Maureen Dunne, MBA, and her husband Patrick of Framingham, Katherine McHugh Lichliter, Ph.D., and her husband William Lichliter of Vienna, Austria, John Joseph McHugh Jr., MBA, of Hopkinton and Christine McHugh Purington, M.D., and her husband James, of Rutland; eight beloved grandchildren, Kerry Dunne and her husband Adam Steiner of Framingham, Eileen Dunne of Melbourne, Australia, Erin Dunne and her husband Ryan Ellis of Somerville, Andreas Lichliter of Arlington, Va., Nicholas McHugh of Westborough, Eric Purington of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Carolyn Purington of Stavanger, Norway and Myles Purington of Rutland; beloved great-grandchildren, Nora and Margaret Steiner of Framingham; and beloved family members Beatriz and Stokely Beckford of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Millie and her late husband were enthusiastic travelers, and their children accompanied them on several trips, including train trips in the 1950s and 1960s to the West Coast of the U.S., Canada, Mexico City, and rural Mexico, plus some of their annual winter cruises in the Caribbean. Later, Millie and her late husband traveled extensively first in Ireland and throughout Europe, then to the USSR/Russia, the Mediterranean and on to the Middle East. They were avid cruisers and enjoyed dancing to Big Band music.

Millie instilled a sense of the importance of education in all her four children which was passed on to her grandchildren. She was very proud that her four children and eight grandchildren attended college and several completed advanced degrees.

She was a dear friend of her brother-in-law Paul F. McHugh of Palm Beach, Florida, sister-in-law, Loretta McHugh of Watertown, and several of her lifelong friends, including Mary Perkins, Esther Sealy and Georgia Kelly, and also leaves many nieces and nephews and extended family. Millie leaves her devoted friends and aides Sarah, Sophia, Primrose and Irene, who helped her maintain independence late in life. She also leaves her many friends among residents and staff at the Whitney Place Assisted Living community in Natick.

The family would also like to thank Lynn Carriker, R.N. of the Natick Visiting Nurses for her comprehensive supportive care throughout Millie's final years and Maggie Smith, R.N., of Hospice of the Good Shepherd, during her final weeks.

Family and friends will honor and remember Millie's life by gathering for calling hours in the Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main St. (Route 20), Waltham on Sunday, Dec. 22 from 2 to 5 p.m. and again at 11 a.m. on Monday morning before leaving in procession to St. Jude Church, 147 Main St., Waltham, where her funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon. Burial will follow in St. Patrick's Cemetery, Watertown.

In lieu of flowers, donations to honor Millie's memory may be made to the Natick Visiting Nurse Association at 209 West Central St., Suite 313, Natick, MA 01760-3716.