Donald Hughes

Donald Howard Hughes, PhD, of Cincinnati, OH died September 7, 2015 at the age of 84 of natural causes.
Don is survived by his wife of 66 years, Joan Hanson Hughes; children Peter Randall (Susan) Hughes of LaCrosse, WI; Pamela (Ken) Schaible of College Hill; Roxanne (Paul Geijer) of San Clemente, CA; Kendrick Hughes of Sycamore Twp; Megan (Danny) Murray of Fairfield; Brian (Elizabeth) Hughes of Ft. Mitchell. Grandchildren Alissa (Bob) Sanders; Andrew (Becky) Hughes; Leanne (EJ) Johnson; Erin (John) Leach; Elena (Noah) Halbeisen; Perry (Brandon) Yaeger; Lynn (Gabe) Warner; Carlyn Schaible; Britte & Tait Geijer; Amanda, Tyler & Parker Hughes; Halle, Thomas & Brenna Murray; Torie & Spencer Hughes. Great-grandchildren Emelia, Lillian & Tessa Sanders; Marley & Maya Hughes; Zoe & Molly Johnson; Braden Leach; Ayla, Ethan & Brynn Halbeisen; Caroline, Grace & Natalie Yaeger; Jonas & Sam Warner. Sister Virginia Gilbert of Silver Spring, MD, sister-in-law Phyllis Hughes of Greenfield, NH.
Don was born on October 30, 1930 in Syracuse, NY to Howard & Dorothy (Stellhorn) Hughes. He met his wife, cheerleader Joan, when at a rainy junior college football game, player Don sought shelter under her upraised blanket. They married January 28, 1949 in Syracuse. Don went on to graduate from Cornell University and earned his PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Delaware in 1961. Don & Joan settled in Cincinnati, OH, where Don took a position with Procter & Gamble and they raised their six children. Don enjoyed a 34 year career with P&G where he worked in food research and toxicology from 1960 to 1994. He loved traveling for P&G including many trips to Washington, DC to meet with the FDA. He holds six patents related to Duncan Hines cake mix chemistry.
Don was a member of numerous professional societies and was an active member of the Toxicology Forum for many years. He won the 2002 International Achievement Award from the International Society of Regulatory Toxicology & Pharmacology. He loved meeting people, organizing scientific events, being a part of forwarding science, and was considered quite a raconteur among his colleagues.
An avid golfer, he enjoyed playing with friends on courses around the world. He was a 55 year member of Faith Lutheran Church where he served on the church council. He was active in the community especially in the support of Colerain HS, the Gamble-Nippert YMCA and the Stellhorn Foundation.
The real love of his life (besides his wife and family) was basketball, playing collegiately for Cornell, and then playing, coaching, and mentoring amateur basketball his entire life. He had an article published in the Cincinnati Enquirer regarding training techniques he developed. There was a constant game in progress in his driveway, and every male was expected to join in. He won four Senior Olympic National Championships with his Cincinnati Cougars team. Don was a very active member of the Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame where he enjoyed being instrumental in honoring players past and present as well as helping young players develop.
He will forever be remembered as a person who: enjoyed a good meal; was passionate and competitive about all sports he played (even Putt-Putt golf!); loved to read - particularly science, histories & biographies; possessed a great skill at storytelling; displayed consistent determination and persistence, and, especially, was very caring and generous to others.
Family will receive friends at Faith Lutheran Church, Finneytown, at 10 am Saturday, September 12th. Remembrance service will begin at 11:00 am followed by a luncheon in the church hall.
Memorials may be made to the Stellhorn Foundation c/o Becky Wernsing, 1127 Betty Lane, Cincinnati, OH 45238, which honors Dr. FW Stellhorn and benefits Capital University and Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus.