Obituary of Patricia McHugh

Patricia "Pat" McHugh, 86, of St Petersburg, passed away of natural causes peacefully in her sleep on Monday, August 2, 2021. Pat was born on November 17, 1934 in New York, New York, the third of four children born to Frank & Dorothy (Smith) McHugh. She survived being the only sister of three rambunctious brothers which strengthened her to become an early pioneer for women's success in the workplace. She graduated from the University of Connecticut and did advanced master's work in Mathematics at Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT. She then worked for many years for Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, CT, working in an environment in which she was almost always the only woman in her group. In the course of her work she early on developed an interest in computers and their application long before most Americans had heard of such things. After years of pursuing these interests, she received a calling and entered the convent as a novitiate in the order of the Poor Clares. She devoted herself to this endeavor for a number of years until she decided that she was not prepared to make her final vows. Thereafter, she joined the University of Connecticut in its fledgling computer division and eventually became responsible for developing the computer software program for the University. She ultimately retired from the University and moved to FL to help care for her mother. Patricia was a highly talented scientist who managed to combine her talents with a rapier style sense of humor. Pat loved nature and when she could she enjoyed excursions to the beach, nature walks, day trips with Larry & Barb, and sunsets. She was gentle, considerate, fun to be with, and she will be greatly missed. She was preceded in death by her father and mother, and her two older brothers, Donald and Kenneth. She is survived by her younger brother, Laurence (Barbara), and 8 nieces and nephews: Donna, Kathleen, Peter, Jean, Ann, John, Brian and Christopher. Services will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church on Monday, August 23, 2021, with visitation at 11 AM and funeral mass at noon. Interment will follow immediately after at Calvary Catholic Cemetery.