John B. Hughes ’47 *53

With Jack’s death Dec. 5, 2009, we lost a wonderful classmate.

Returning to Princeton after Army service during World War II, Jack became an avid fencer (captaining our undefeated épeé team of 1949) and an enthusiastic student of Romance languages. Princeton’s esteemed professor Americo Castro inspired Jack to study and build a distinguished academic career centered on Spanish and Portuguese literature. After earning a Ph.D. from Princeton in 1953, Jack taught at Old Nassau for 19 years and then was lured away by NYU, which offered him the position of scholar-in-residence in Spain, Portugal, and Brazil.

Jack’s knowledge and enthusiasm were transmitted to those of us who attended one or more of his carefully planned “mini-maxi” reunions in Spain, Puerto Rico, and/or Brazil, where we were provided with his background papers enabling deeper appreciation of our experience.

Jack married Sally Stevenson in 1949. Sadly, she died in 1997. Happily, Jack soon found and married his Brazilian bride, Isobel Thomas. Jack and Sally had two daughters and Isobel gave him two stepchildren.

Throughout his professional life Jack lived in Princeton and often provided hospitality to classmates attending Reunions. He served with distinction as our president, loved the University, and welcomed the changes that occurred over the years and added to its luster.

We send this celebration with warm affection to Isobel and the family.