Readers will be saddened to learn of the death this week of Gerry Hughes, former ambassador In Ankara and high commissioner in Kuala Lumpur. An obituary notice is below.
Les membres de l"ACMAR apprendront avec tristesse le décès cette semaine de Gerry Hughes, ancien ambassadeur à Ankara et haut-commissaire à Kuala Lumpur. L'avis de décès se trouve en bas.
HUGHES, Gerald Francis George
March 1, 1919 - February 3, 2015
Passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 3, 2015, at the Perley & Rideau Veterans' Health Centre in Ottawa. He is greatly missed by Mary (née Wade), his loving wife of 73 years, his three sons, Michael, (Marianne), Christopher (Sharon) and Timothy (Julie), his grandchildren, Claire, Veronica and Dawson, his surviving sister, Lois (Lorne), and many nieces and nephews. Gerry was born in Sayabec, Quebec, attended high school in Campbellton, N.B., and the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton as a Beaverbrook scholar. After completing his degree in Electrical Engineering he joined Canadian General Electric briefly in Toronto, and then joined in the Royal Canadian Navy in 1941. He enrolled in a joint British/Canadian project to degauss (de-magnetize) allied minesweepers in order to protect them against enemy magnetic mines, and crossed the Atlantic numerous times on destroyers to confer with his British counterparts. While on leave in 1941 he met the love of his life on board a CN train from Montreal to Ottawa and they were married on February 28, 1942. Gerry was de-mobbed from the navy in 1945 as Lieutenant Commander and immediately joined Canada's Foreign Service (Trade Commissioner Service) in which he had a long and distinguished career until his retirement in 1983. Beginning in 1946 he served in Scotland, Turkey, Lebanon and Sweden as Trade Commissioner. He served as Minister Commercial in London and Rome and as Ambassador in Ankara and High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. One of his memorable adventures in Istanbul in 1950 was to swim across the Hellespont, as Leander did in mythological times to be with his beloved Hero. In all of those postings Gerry delighted in exploring the cultural treasures these marvelous countries had to offer. In 1964, he was asked to establish and head up the International Trade Centre at Expo '67 in Montreal, the opportunity of a lifetime. Throughout his career Gerry was not inclined to self-promotion, and preferred to arrive at the right course of action with discretion and modesty. His most cherished place was the family cottage on the Gatineau River, acquired shortly after the War, where he delighted in making breakfasts and barbeques for his family and friends, while developing the cottage and maintaining the boats, canoes and outboard motors. He also cherished his participation in the White Pine Fishing Club in the Gatineau hills where he worked tirelessly to help maintain the serene beauty of this remote property. We were very blessed and lucky to have him and he will be greatly missed. Gerry's funeral will be held privately, but the family will be arranging a memorial gathering to celebrate his life in the early summer. In lieu of flowers, Gerry would have appreciated that any donations be made to the Perley & Rideau Veterans' Health Centre in Ottawa, where he was cared for during his last year with love and respect, endearing himself to many of the wonderful staff.
Condolences/tributes/donations: www.hpmcgarry.ca 613-233-1143
March 1, 1919 - February 3, 2015
Passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 3, 2015, at the Perley & Rideau Veterans' Health Centre in Ottawa. He is greatly missed by Mary (née Wade), his loving wife of 73 years, his three sons, Michael, (Marianne), Christopher (Sharon) and Timothy (Julie), his grandchildren, Claire, Veronica and Dawson, his surviving sister, Lois (Lorne), and many nieces and nephews. Gerry was born in Sayabec, Quebec, attended high school in Campbellton, N.B., and the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton as a Beaverbrook scholar. After completing his degree in Electrical Engineering he joined Canadian General Electric briefly in Toronto, and then joined in the Royal Canadian Navy in 1941. He enrolled in a joint British/Canadian project to degauss (de-magnetize) allied minesweepers in order to protect them against enemy magnetic mines, and crossed the Atlantic numerous times on destroyers to confer with his British counterparts. While on leave in 1941 he met the love of his life on board a CN train from Montreal to Ottawa and they were married on February 28, 1942. Gerry was de-mobbed from the navy in 1945 as Lieutenant Commander and immediately joined Canada's Foreign Service (Trade Commissioner Service) in which he had a long and distinguished career until his retirement in 1983. Beginning in 1946 he served in Scotland, Turkey, Lebanon and Sweden as Trade Commissioner. He served as Minister Commercial in London and Rome and as Ambassador in Ankara and High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. One of his memorable adventures in Istanbul in 1950 was to swim across the Hellespont, as Leander did in mythological times to be with his beloved Hero. In all of those postings Gerry delighted in exploring the cultural treasures these marvelous countries had to offer. In 1964, he was asked to establish and head up the International Trade Centre at Expo '67 in Montreal, the opportunity of a lifetime. Throughout his career Gerry was not inclined to self-promotion, and preferred to arrive at the right course of action with discretion and modesty. His most cherished place was the family cottage on the Gatineau River, acquired shortly after the War, where he delighted in making breakfasts and barbeques for his family and friends, while developing the cottage and maintaining the boats, canoes and outboard motors. He also cherished his participation in the White Pine Fishing Club in the Gatineau hills where he worked tirelessly to help maintain the serene beauty of this remote property. We were very blessed and lucky to have him and he will be greatly missed. Gerry's funeral will be held privately, but the family will be arranging a memorial gathering to celebrate his life in the early summer. In lieu of flowers, Gerry would have appreciated that any donations be made to the Perley & Rideau Veterans' Health Centre in Ottawa, where he was cared for during his last year with love and respect, endearing himself to many of the wonderful staff.
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