Obituary of Charles S. Hough Sr.

Charles Shoemaker Hough, a prominent architect in Philadelphia for 45 years, died peacefully on March 9th at age 89, surrounded by his loving family. An early resident of Ambler, PA, he graduated from George School, in Bucks County, in 1944 where he was president of his class and captain of the track team. He served in the US Navy during WW II and attended the University of Pennsylvania where he received degrees in Art History and Architecture in 1950. He was a member of the Psi Upsilon Fraternity. Mr. Hough married Nancy Jean Hartung in 1952 and they spent the next year in Sweden and Europe on a Chandler Architectural Scholarship. He then worked for 10 years for Harbeson, Hough, Livingston & Larson Architects. In 1960, he founded the firm of Hayes & Hough Architects with John Freeman Hayes, and for 35 years designed schools, libraries, medical facilities, retirement communities, and many public buildings, dissolving the firm in 1995. Following his retirement, many of the Hayes and Hough drawings were placed at the University of Pennsylvania Architectural School Archives and at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. Mr. Hough's proudest commission was relocating the Twelfth Street 1812 Quaker Meeting House from Philadelphia to George School in 1974. Mr. Hough and his wife lived in Whitemarsh Township for 48 years on land they developed along with several architects and on which they built innovative pre-panelized houses for themselves and friends. In 2005, they moved to Foulkeways retirement community in Gwynedd. Mr. Hough served for over 20 years on the Zoning Hearing Board and the Planning Commission of Whitemarsh Township, was active in the founding of the William Jeanes Memorial Library, and was a member of the Plymouth Meeting Historical Society, with the honor of being named the first Citizen of the Month for Whitmarsh Township's tricentennial celebration in 2004 and for which he received a citation from the Pennsylvania House of representatives. Mr. Hough also served for many years on the George School Committee and was a member and officer of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He was an active member of Plymouth Monthly Meeting, Plymouth Meeting, PA, having served for many years on the Property Committee and as President of the Trustees. Mr. Hough and his wife loved to travel and visited over 70 countries. For many years, they gave slide shows about their trips at the William Jeanes Memorial Library and at other organizations. Mr. Hough also enjoyed music, especially opera, as well as photography, making furniture, camping, gardening, maintaining his property, family history, and restoring his beloved 1946 Willys Jeep. In addition to his wife of 63 years, he is survived by his three children Charles, Jr (Wayne), Karen Hough Mersky (Michael) and Paul (Linda), as well as four grandchildren, Matthew, Sandra, Kathryn, and Ashley. A memorial service will take place on Saturday April 2,2016 at the Community Center Auditorium at Foulkeways of Gywnedd. Memorial donations may be may to the Plymouth Monthly Meeting 2150 Butler Pike, Plymouth Mtg.Pa.19462