Robert C McHugh

June 2, 1928 – November 17, 2017

Bob McHugh was born June 2, 1928, in Kansas City, MO to Eugene and Margaret (Higgins) McHugh. The family moved to Colorado Springs in 1935 where Bob attended public school. He graduated from Colorado Springs High School (Palmer) in 1946 as an athlete and scholar. He served a student government cabinet member as Speaker of the House. He was active in athletics, lettering in football, baseball and basketball. He was a member of the 1945 Summer CSHS baseball team that won the American Legion sponsored high school baseball championship. At graduation, he was awarded the Preston Medal as the athlete with the highest grade point average. Bob was one of three commencement speakers representing the 1946 class.

His post-secondary education included majors in business administration (Northwestern), banking (Colorado College) and Juris Doctor (University of Colorado). He scored the highest grade achieved in the May, 1951, Colorado Bar Exam. His post-doctorate research at Oxford University in England measured the financial and commercial law effects upon the U.K. of the Western European Common Market.

Bob met his wife Ruth (Irish), of nearly 68 years at Northwestern University. They were married in 1949 in Evanston, IL. He was drafted into the US Army in 1952 and served in the Army Adjutant General’s Office. They moved to Colorado Springs in 1954 where Bob went to work as Deputy District Attorney for the 4th Judicial District.

Bob joined Colorado Interstate Gas in 1956, holding many executive positions including President. He retired in 1983 to join KN Energy in Lakewood, CO as Vice Chairman and General Counsel.

After retiring from KN in 1992, Bob and Ruth moved back to Colorado Springs to be near their family. Bob went to work for the Colorado Springs Police Department as a volunteer working on cold case homicides, financial crimes and as a Senior Citizen Advocate.

His other passion was teaching. He served as an Associate Professor of Business at UCCS for many years, and was the 1980 UCCS recipient of the University of Colorado Medal. He also lectured at the US Air Force Academy and CU – Boulder.

He was appointed by two Colorado governors to serve on the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and the Governor’s Energy Commission. Nationally, he was appointed to the National Petroleum Council and the Department of Interior Executive Reserve.

The civic and volunteer organizations Bob served over the years are too many to list, but he gave his talents with a servant’s heart.

The family shared a second home for 35 years in Breckenridge. Hiking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing were some of Bob’s favorite activities.

Bob is survived by his wife Ruth; two children, Steve (Kathy) McHugh and Jennifer (Dan) Taylor; 4 grandchildren, Erin, Kelly and Bobby (Micah) McHugh and Ben Rather; and a great-grandson, Payton.

Bob is also survived by his brother, Dr. Earl S. (Mick) McHugh of Kansas City, and was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Mary Jean Thomas.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on January 13, 2018 at Chapel of Our Savior, 8 Fourth Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. Reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Colorado Springs Community Foundation, 102 S. Tejon, Ste. 530, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.