Bud McHugh Obituary

Charles J. "Bud" McHugh, 89, of East Lansdowne formerly of Overbrook, a founder of Millwright and Machinery Erectors Local 1906, died Sunday of heart failure at Lankenau Hospital.

Mr. McHugh, who served in the Army on Okinawa during World War II, decided to form the union after the war to help folks earn a living wage said his daughter Joanne Knipmeyer.

"A lot of the guys who came back were Depression kids who didn't have a chance to go to college," she said. In other words, people such as Charles McHugh.

Mr. McHugh, who grew up in West Philadelphia, graduated from West Catholic High School in 1938 and went to work at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

He was a skilled carpenter who later learned the millwright's trade. Millwrights build, install and maintain heavy machinery.

Mr. McHugh joined the Navy during the war but was ordered back to the Navy Yard after a year of overseas duty because his work was viewed as essential, his daughter said.

After the war, Mr. McHugh worked for eight years to help organize the union, and became a charter member when the union opened for business in 1954.

The Philadelphia union, a local of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, has about 600 members, according to business agent Rich Kelly.

After the union was organized, Mr. McHugh became a union employee and was constantly on call for jobs at plants such as Scott Paper Co., Oscar Mayer & Co., and Tasty Baking Co., which manufactured a product for which he had a well-documented fondness.

"He was well respected for his knowledge in the field, and also in the union hall," said Joe Foley, a retired Local 1906 member.

He also noted that Mr. McHugh was very much a full-time family man. He and his wife of 46 years, Marge, who died in 1991, had 10 children.

He coached his sons in Little League, and he helped build the Greenhill Community Center at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Overbrook, where his daughter played volleyball.

Mr. McHugh was a volunteer for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Operation Santa Claus almost from its inception in 1968.

In his later years, one of his favorite pastimes was driving, his daughter said. The last time he had his car inspected, the mechanic suggested he might not need an emissions check because, at his age, he probably had not driven 5,000 miles in the previous year. Then the mechanic checked the odometer.

"Bud," he said, "you put 21,000 miles on this car."

In addition to his daughter, Mr. McHugh is survived by daughters Carol Doering, Veronica, Margaret Mary "Maggie" Wilkins, and Helene Calabro; sons Charles III, Hugh and Joseph; two sisters; 19 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Two of his children, Theresa and Mary, are deceased.

A viewing will begin at 6 p.m. Monday at O'Leary Funeral Home, 640 E. Springfield Rd., Springfield, Delaware County. A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of Lourdes, 63d Street and Woodbine Avenue. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken.

Hy Lit aka Hyskee O'Rooney McVoutie O'Zoot dies

I'm not sure every beat, beard, Buddhist cat, big-time spender, money lender, teetotaler, elbow bender, hog caller, home-run hitter, finger-poppin' daddy and cool babysitter will remember the man with the plan who was on the scene with his record machine, but many of us have many, many fond memories of listening to Hy Lit and Joe Niagara on our families’ old AM radios.
Since Hy was a human that whispered in many of our ears via a transistor radio after school, those outside of the area may appreciate knowing of his passage.
Here are a few links to local coverage of his death:
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=5767800
http://www.philly.com/philly/obituaries/20071118_Hy_Lit__73__pioneer_DJ__dies_after_knee_injury.html
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking/news_breaking/20071117_Hy_Lit_dead_at_73.html

100th Anniversary

The celebration of Our Lady of Lourdes School's 100th anniversary will begin with an opening Mass on April 27th, 2008 at noon at OLL Church. Following Mass, there will be a tour of the old and new schools and a catered lunch.

The year long celebration will end with Mass on Saturday November 29th, 2008 at 4:00 p.m., followed by a dinner dance at Drexelbrook.

OLL Memories

Post your favorite OLL Memories here.