Hugh died on March 27, 2023, at Toronto General Hospital in the presence of his family. He was undergoing treatment for cancer, and despite two weeks of unflagging Herculean effort, finally succumbed to complications of surgery. He is survived by his wife, Lou; their children, James (Gina), Jessica (Elliott) and Jo; grandchildren, Cyprin, Alexia, Rebekah, Aristidis and Anna-Sophia; his older brother, Roger (Marion) and his family; and his younger brother, Philip (Kylie).
Hugh joined the faculty of the University of Toronto in 1968 and spent his professional life introducing generations of students to the Greek language, culture and history he loved, as well as counselling and guiding students as Registrar of New College. He was an avid and meticulous researcher, not only into the Ancient World but also into Baroque music and musicians, and modern Greece; he published a paper on the previously undiagnosed cause of death in 1699 of Prince Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria, which triggered the War of the Spanish Succession. Hugh was adept at languages; he was fluent in six and could read four others. He was a committed blood donor; he gave blood and blood components more than 100 times throughout his adult life, until he developed cancer and became ineligible. He was an old leftist, a determined 10,000-steps-per-day walker, and an ardent fan of baseball and the Blue Jays.
Hugh was a devoted father to his three children and delighted in being Grandad/Pappou to his five grandchildren. He and his wife of 52 years were the love of each other's lives.
A Memorial Service will be held at Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre, which is located in Toronto's Mount Pleasant Cemetery at 375 Mount Pleasant Road, on Saturday, July 29th, 2023 at 1pm, with reception to follow. If you are interested in attending, or if you would like to share thoughts or memories about Hugh, please visit Hugh's online guest book.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Hugh's memory to either the University of Toronto, Faculty of Arts & Science Annual Fund to support student scholarships or to the Daily Bread Food Bank to fight hunger would be appreciated. There will be a collection box for Daily Bread Food Bank at the Memorial Service, for anyone who would like to bring non-perishable food to donate. A donation to Canadian Blood Services, either financial or especially of blood, would be a most meaningful way to honour Hugh's memory.