Joseph F. McHugh Sr., 80, Defense Department auditor, Del. mayor, dies

Auditor, Town Mayor

Joseph F. McHugh Sr., 80, an auditor for the Defense Department from 1958 to 1989 who later became mayor of Bethany Beach, Del., died Sept. 15 at a hospital in Lewes, Del., of complications from pneumonia.

From 1958 to 1989, Mr. McHugh lived in Arlington, where he volunteered in service programs that helped senior and handicapped citizens.

He served on the Arlington County Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services Board and was a past president of the Association of Retarded Citizens and what is now Fastran, a Fairfax County transportation service. He also served as board president of the old Cooperative School for the Handicapped.

His honors included the Virginia Governor's Award for Volunteer Excellence.

Joseph Francis McHugh was a Philadelphia native and a 1954 business administration graduate of what is now St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. He served in the Air Force from 1954 to 1958.

After moving to Bethany Beach in 1989, he became a member of the town council and was mayor from 1998 to 2005.

His first wife of 20 years, the former Elizabeth Burns, died in 1973.

Survivors include his wife of 21 years, Betty Quigley McHugh of Bethany Beach; four children from his first marriage, Kathleen "Kim" Arthurs of Arlington, Joseph F. "Joey" McHugh Jr. of Fairfax County, Donna A. McHugh of Centreville and Christopher M. McHugh of San Francisco; four stepchildren, Andy Quigley of Ocean City, Md., Michael Quigley of Hampton, Va., Timothy Quigley of Lakeside, Mont., and Kathy Kaufman of Glenelg; two brothers; and six grandchildren.

- Lauren Wiseman