Obituary of Helen Fuchilla McHugh

October 13, 1935 – July 19, 2024

Helen McHugh, age 88, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. Born on October 13, 1935, in New York City to Nicholas and Anna Fuchilla, Helen was raised in both New York City and Jersey City. In 1970, she moved to Bridgewater, New Jersey, where she lived until relocating to Tampa in 2021.

Helen graduated from Lincoln High School in Jersey City and went on to work as a secretary for Colgate-Palmolive in New York, New York. Helen had a deep passion for music; she loved to dance, play the piano, and listen to her favorite tunes. Music was a significant part of her life, bringing her joy and comfort throughout the years.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Neil Martin McHugh, who passed in 2019, and her cherished daughter, Karyn McHugh, who passed away as an infant in 1963. Helen was also preceded in death by her siblings, Frank Fuchilla, Mary Fuchilla, and Anne Fuchilla.

Helen is survived by her loving children, Elise Kerrie McHugh, and Neil Colin McHugh and his wife Dianna. She also leaves behind five treasured grandchildren: Marley Doboszenski, Kaia Doboszenski, Kaitlin McHugh, Colin McHugh, and Margaret McHugh.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, from 6 to 8 PM at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung, NJ 07069. A funeral service will take place on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 10 AM at the funeral home, followed by interment at Arlington Cemetery in Kearny, New Jersey.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4550 Montgomery Ave, Suite 1100N, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Helen's family and friends will forever remember her as a sweet, loving, and giving woman who brought light and music into their lives.