Mary Lu (Slack) Hough of West Tisbury and York, Pa., died Saturday, Nov. 5, at Country Meadows in York, where she had resided since January 2016 after the death of her husband, George Anthony Hough III.
Mary Lu was born June 11, 1921, in La Crosse, Wis., and grew up in Viroqua, Wis. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a bachelor of arts degree in journalism in 1943. As a freshman at UW, Mary Lu met her future husband and became a member of Alpha Phi. Two weeks after graduation she married George, who was commissioned in the Navy. When George left to serve in World War II, Mary Lu became a court reporter for the Detroit Free Press. After George’s return, Mary Lu and George became the editor and publisher of the Vernon County Censor in Viroqua from 1950 to 1955.
In 1955 they moved to Lancaster, Wis., where George was editor of the Grant County Independent. In 1957 the family relocated to East Lansing, Mich., where George was a professor of journalism. Mary Lu was a researcher for the Michigan Press Association. She later became the executive editor of MSU Business Topics and editor of the Division of Research for the School of Business at Michigan State University. After 22 years at MSU, she and her husband moved to Athens, Ga., in 1979, where George was head of the news-editorial sequence at the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia. Mary Lu enjoyed entertaining and socializing with the students and faculty of the university.
She was an enthusiastic bowler, bicyclist, tennis player, and lover of cats. She loved to play cribbage with her friends. She was a talented pianist who could play music skillfully by ear. Upon retirement to the Vineyard in 1990, Mary Lu continued her life of reading, editing for her husband, and volunteering for the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation. She loved flying kites and walking on the beach, collecting starfish, and exercising with her friends. She was especially proud to be a longtime member of Curves on the Vineyard. She adored her family, and filled her house with family photos and photo albums. Each year, albums began with a photo taken at the beach with the date written in the sand.
After George’s death in 2015, she resided at Country Meadows, a retirement home near her daughter. Mary Lu is survived by her daughter, Mary Patricia Hough-Greene; her grandson Neil Greene (Amy), great-grandson Harper, and great-granddaughter Georgia; her granddaughter Lydia (Patrick) Harmer, and great-grandsons Patrick Jr., Declan, Liam, and Noah.
A private celebration of life service will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church in New Freedom, Pa., during the Christmas season, when her family will assemble to remember her. Donations in Mary Lu’s name may be made to the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard, 1 Pennywise Path, P.O. Box 1829, Edgartown, MA 02539.
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