It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Doris McHugh, nee Nellis, who peacefully departed from this world on Tuesday, March 5th, 2024, at the age of 92.
Doris’s life was marked by compassion, dedication, and unwavering commitment to her family and causes close to her heart. She was the beloved wife of the late John R. McHugh and the adored mother of six children: Aileen, Monica, Neysa, Marlene, John, and Daniel.
Born in West Philadelphia, Doris pursued her passion for Home Economics at Drexel University, where she showed her love for teaching and nurturing others. Throughout her esteemed career, Doris touched the lives of countless students as a Home Economics teacher in the Philadelphia Public Schools system. She taught incarcerated youth, aspiring night school GED candidates, and at the Masterman School. Doris’s impact extended far beyond the classroom, training generations of students how to provide for themselves and their families.
A lifelong idealist, Doris passionately supported causes that championed the well-being of working families. Her advocacy for breastfeeding, natural family planning, and social justice issues was unwavering, and she even ventured into the realm of politics with a campaign for US Congress in 1978.
Our family loved Ocean City, New Jersey, sharing our beach home with our beloved feline companions, Timmy and Little Girl. Her love for her pets was a reflection of her nurturing spirit and boundless capacity for love.
A service to celebrate Doris’s remarkable life will be held at St. Philomena’s Church in Lansdowne, PA, on March 16th, where friends, family, and those touched by her kindness are invited to pay their respects and honor her memory. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to The Maternity Care Coalition, St. John’s Hospice, the Humane Society of Ocean City, or Independence Mission Schools (St. Philomena’s and St. Cyril’s), organizations that held a special place in Doris’s heart and exemplify her spirit of compassion and generosity.
Doris McHugh left us with a poem:
“Grieve not
Nor speak of me with tears
But laugh and talk of me
As though I were beside you
I loved you so
‘Twas heaven here with you”
Donation Information:
St. John’s Hospice
* If you prefer to mail your donation, please send it to the following address:
P.O. Box 781048, Philadelphia, PA.19178-1048
Maternity Coalition
Address the check to “Maternity Care Coalition” and send it to 3401 I Street, Suite 407, Philadelphia, PA 19134.
St Philomena St Cyril’s:
To donate by check, please mail it to: Independence Mission Schools, PO Box 37012, Philadelphia, PA 19122
Humane Society of Ocean City
Humane Society Of Ocean City, Box 1254, Ocean City NJ 08226
