Monday, June 22, 2015
Dear Family,
I was so sorry to learn of Hugh's passing.
Hugh was truly a giant among his co-workers. His work was gospel. He transitioned from using a Marchant calculator in the early days at SRL to using the big IBM mainframe later in his career, all with the same carefulness and insight he brought to all his tasks. Our Research Manager in the 1960s, Dr. Daniel St. John, used to point out that at the Hanford site there were 20 scientists/engineers assigned to do the work that Hugh did at SRL.
And, Hugh was a legendary hiker. One year there was a national American Nuclear Society meeting in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and on an off day, Hugh led a group of fellow nuclear scientists on a hike up Mt. Le Conte in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The talk later was that everyone but Hugh was exhausted and could not keep up with Hugh.
One other story about Hugh's hiking. He was hiking in Hitchcock Woods (this would have been in the 1950s or 1960s) and encountered Walter Newman, the riding instructor at what was then the Aiken Prep School Stables. Mr. Newman was riding his horse and leading a group of student riders in the woods. Friendly, cheerful Hugh waved "Hello" and it startled Mr. Newman's horse, who reared and threw Mr. Newman to the ground (he was unhurt).
Hugh was admired and respected by all his co-workers and all who knew him. He left a legacy of excellence and accomplishments, and we all will miss him very much.
-- John P. Church
