Renee Marie McHugh (Sally) was born on Dec. 12, 1934 to Etta Marie Noble Lemaire and Rene Watt Lemaire in Battle Mountain, Nevada. She was raised in Battle Mountain and enjoyed swimming in the Humbolt River and making mud pies “out of good old fashioned alkali dirt,” with her dear cousins Gayle and Char. After grammar school Renee traveled to Mount Pleasant, Utah to attend Wasatch Academy. It was there that she met her lifetime friend Nancy Piedmont who would later serve as her maid of honor. Renee always felt like a Northern Nevada girl and longed for the sweet smell of the high desert sage brush.
Renee moved to Stockton to attend the University of the Pacific. During college, she met the love of her life, John McHugh. John and Renee were married September 13, 1956. Renee graduated from Pacific with a degree in Speech Therapy and worked as a speech therapist before retiring to raise her children. John and Renee were married for almost 44 years before John passed away.
Renee’s sense of adventure and love of travel led her and John to explore the United States and the globe. She was a lifelong learner whose curiosity led her back to school in her 40’s to study French and Art History. She passed her love of travel on to her grandchildren and escorted them on an adventure of their choice, instilling her sense of humor and curiosity along the way.
Renee’s love of art sparked her interest in the Haggin Museum where she served as a docent for well over twenty years and was also on the Board of Directors. Her favorite part of being involved with the museum was touring the school children through the exhibits.
Renee was a true people lover who saw the good in everybody. Her age was only in her body as was evident by the life in her eyes. She was an amazing listener who taught all to treasure one another. The door to the McHugh home was always open and many of her childrens’ friends felt her genuine interest in who they were. She shared her love of music and dancing with everyone. During the holidays, the carpet was rolled back, the music was turned on and she and John would show everyone a thing or two. And, she was sure to teach the youth around her the value of good grammar.
Renee is preceded in death by her parents, Etta Marie Noble Lemaire and Rene Watt Lemaire, sister Henrietta Jones, her husband John McHugh, brother in law Patrick McHugh, son in law Stefano Pagliai and nephew Dick Jones. She is survived by her children Tom (Jayne) McHugh, Sally Pagliai (Kyle), Katie McHugh (Cristina), grandchildren Bianca and Gianmarco Pagliai, Ryan and Jack McHugh, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
A celebration of life will be held at the Cathedral of the Annunciation at 11:00 am on September 1st, 400 W. Rose St., Stockton, CA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to: St. Mary’s Dining Room (Stockton, CA), The Healing Gardens (Cone Health Institutional Advancement, 1200 N. Elm St., Greensboro, NC), The Haggin Museum (Stockton, CA), The Stockton Symphony, The American Cancer Society (207 E. Alpine Ave. Stockton, 95204), or the Alzheimer’s Association. All arrangements have been provided by Casa Bonita Funeral Home.
