Former Cd'A mayor, tireless volunteer John McHugh remembered

COEUR d'ALENE — John McHugh believed citizen involvement is an obligation to make communities thrive.

"His life reflected that belief," Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh said of his father, who died of natural causes at 85 at Kootenai Health on Monday. John McHugh was Coeur d'Alene's mayor from 1970 to 1974.

"Still, he and my mom (Mary Ann) made sure that family came first, and they lived through the ups and downs of raising six children with tremendous love and grace. He is the example we look to as a husband, father and grandfather, and it was a blessing to have had so many wonderful years with him."

McHugh worked with the Coeur d'Alene accounting firm H.F. Magnuson and Co., which was later renamed to Magnuson, McHugh and Co., and he became a partner in the company.

In addition to being mayor, McHugh served on the Coeur d'Alene City Council from 1962 to 1969.

Ron Edinger, a Coeur d'Alene City Council member who also served on the council with McHugh, said McHugh was a "stickler" on financing and the budget.

"He made us think about how money was being spent and where it wasn't being being spent," Edinger said. "John was always the one who was pushing us to do the right thing. We're going to miss him."

McHugh served as the District 1 board member on the Idaho Transportation Board for 12 years.

"He was a great advocate for District 1 and worked tirelessly with our five northern counties and their communities, and the ever-increasing issues facing our aging state and interstate highway systems, and the huge growth we have seen in the last 20 years," said Scotty Fellom, ITD's local business operations manager.

"He cared for our employees and their well-being, attended our staff meetings, holiday get-togethers and was on a first-name basis with many, which meant a lot to us. He was a class act and a true gentleman who served the state of Idaho well, and will be missed greatly for all the work he did for us."

McHugh helped organized Coeur d'Alene's centennial celebration in 1987. He served on several boards, including Association of Idaho Cities, Gonzaga University Regents, North Idaho College Foundation, Idaho Youth Ranch, Panhandle Area Council, Delta Dental of Idaho, Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce, Coeur d'Alene Rotary, Coeur d'Alene High Booster Club and Blue Cross of Idaho.

John and Mary Ann have been members of St. Thomas Catholic Church since arriving in Coeur d'Alene in 1957. He was a member of Knights of Columbus and helped raise funds before and after Holy Family Catholic School opened in 1996.

McHugh was recently re-elected to serve on the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. He served in the Air Force from 1953 to 1954.

"His contributions to our city were many," Edinger said. "He always had the city of Coeur d'Alene at heart."