LTC (Ret) Bernard John McHugh's Obituary
Lieutenant Colonel (U.S. Army Retired) Bernard John McHugh, 81, of Dale City VA passed away on May 11, 2022 with his two loving adult children by his side.
Bernard was born on July 17, 1940 to the late Bernard and Anna McHugh in Hazleton PA. Bernard grew up in Tresckow, PA and attended West Hazleton High School where he was a standout in both academics and athletics, earning a football scholarship while graduating with honors in 1958. Most significant to this period is that it was at West Hazleton High School where Bernard met the love of his life, Joan Markovich.
Bernard continued his academic and athletic excellence through college, attending Cornell University on a football scholarship and graduating with a BS in Economics and an Army Commission as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in 1962.
Bernard married Joan on 30 June 1962, and they enjoyed a storybook romance that lasted for 58 years, as much in love at Joan’s passing in December of 2020, as they were on their wedding day.
Bernard’s military service spanned 23 years during which he lead Soldiers across the globe, including in Berlin during the height of the Cold War and two tours in Vietnam, one during TET Offensive where he was wounded in action from enemy rifle fire. Over his career, Bernard would continue his education, earning an MBA from the University of Scranton in 1975 and graduating the Army’s Command and General Staff College. Achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Bernard retired on November 30, 1985, culminating a career that was marked with an intense sense of duty to his Nation and his Soldiers, evidenced by his receipt of numerous high-level awards and commendations including: the Combat Infantyman’s Badge, two Legions of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals, two Air Medals, and a Purple Heart.
After the Army, Bernard continued his commitment to the defense of our Nation as he worked as a defense contractor focused on analyzing the performance of the equipment development for the Nation’s Warfighters. He did this until his final retirement in 2005 at which point he focused solely on enjoying what he termed as “his life’s real work” which was his wife and his family.
Bernard was a true renaissance man, as comfortable quoting Kipling as he was firing pistols at the range and excelling at both. He loved travelling, especially long road trips because it gave him the opportunity to combine his two favorite things, stopping at historic sites and spending time with his family. Bernard loved the ocean, and his favorite vacations were on beaches and hitting any Putt-Putt and Go-Carts places. He had a remarkable intellect and loved to read, having a wide range of interests from Sword and Sorcery to the Ancient Roman Republic. Possessing an unassuming wisdom, quick, dry and wonderful sense of humor and an unquenchable passion for life, Bernard was the point that all gravitated to whenever a group got together. He was a patient, kind and honorable man and he was incredibly humble when asked about all of his lifetime’s worth of adventures and accomplishments.
Bernard was an incredible man whose commitment to serving others and devotion to family has been an inspiration to all who knew him. As a military man, his work demanded many sacrifices; however, he never let these sacrifices be felt at home. Bernard always made time to ensure that his family knew they were loved, no matter where he was or how intense the work, he would forfeit his sparse spare time to send letters and tapes from Vietnam, or, later in life, make phone calls to check on the latest events.
An amazing Husband, Father, and Grandfather, Bernard is survived by his two children, Laurie Kane and Brian McHugh and four wonderful grandchildren; Cullen Kane (20), Connor McHugh (27), Dylan McHugh (25), and Mason McHugh (19).
In passing, Bernard has already been reunited with his soulmate, Joan, in Heaven. He and Joan will be reunited on our earthly plane after a private Catholic Mass for immediate family followed by their being laid to rest together with Full Military Honors at the Quantico National Cemetery on 18 July 2022. Each forever, sharing a place side-by-side with their “best friend, support, and their love.”
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made to The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund at www.vvmk.org/giving-to-vvmf
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