John R. McHugh

Born October 1, 1927 in Pittston, PA to parents Emma and Richard. At age 18, joined the Navy and spent time on ships in the Atlantic and Pacific. Longtime resident of Alexandria, and recently of Greenspring Village, Springfield. Passed on December 23, 2019 at the age of 92.

Preceded in passing by dear wife Mary Lou, daughter Rita McHugh Gibbons, son Michael McHugh, and grandson Kevin McHugh. He is survived by granddaughters Marie Golden and Melissa Powell; great-grandchildren Gavin, Lexi, and Desirea; and nieces and nephews Karen Newshutz (David) Stilwill, Christine (Peter) Rees, Kathy Kempel Burkle, Margaret Kempel, John Kempel (Joanne), William Kempel (Janet), Dennis Kempel (Pixie), Steve Kempel, Kevin Kempel (Alexa), Kathleen (Gus) Beder, Nancy Loftus (Joseph) Saunders, Ellen McHugh (Robert) Pearce, Mary Christine Loftus (Dr. Paul) Remick, Kathleen Loftus, and Robert McHugh Swanton.

A graduate of George Washington University, John began his distinguished career in 1950 as a clerk at Peoples Drug Store (now CVS) in Washington, D.C. where he also worked as a student pharmacist and pharmacy intern. After completing his education, Mr. McHugh stayed on at Peoples as a Registered Pharmacist and rose through the ranks as Assistant Manager, Store Manager, and Pharmaceutical Buyer to Director of Professional Services, in which capacity he served from 1964 to 1972. In 1963, he won the prestigious A.H. Robins' Bowl of Hygeia award for Community Service in Pharmacy, and, in 1970, he was the District of Columbia Pharmaceutical Association's Pharmacist of the Year. When Retired Persons Services, Inc. (RPS) was created to administer the growing AARP Pharmacy Service, Mr. McHugh was chosen as its first President in November 1972. For the next twenty-one years until his retirement in December 1993, he led RPS and the AARP Pharmacy Service (the first mail service pharmacy in the private sector) through a period of unprecedented growth. As a pioneer in mail service pharmacy, generic substitution, patient medication information, and nutritional products for older patients, he was instrumental in changing the landscape of the industry and instituting many of the patient-focused practices that we now consider standard.

Active in numerous professional organizations, such as the American Pharmaceutical Association, several state pharmaceutical associations, and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, he participated on task forces on pharmacy record systems, safety packaging, and third party programs. A former lecturer in Pharmacology at St. Joseph's College, he was a member of the Boards of Directors of the Health Foundation for the District of Columbia and Capitol Hill Hospital. In 1975, Mr. McHugh was a founder of the National Association of Mail Service Pharmacies (NAMSP) and served as its President until 1988. The NAMSP later changed its name to the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA).

Friends welcome on Monday, January 13 from 10:30-11:30 am at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30 am. Burial will follow at Resurrection Cemetery, Clinton, MD.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in John’s memory to Greenspring Hospice, 7410 Spring Village Drive, Springfield, VA 22150 memo: John R. McHugh.