Joseph Bernard Hughey was born March 3, 1952 in Wichita, KS to Hubert and Barbara (Dee) Hughey. He unexpectedly died on November 18, 2024 with his daughters and wife by his side in Paris, France.
Joe grew up in Wichita, KS attending Kapaun High School. Upon high school graduation, he attended Wichita State University and obtained Bachelor’s andMaster’s degrees in Psychology. During his tenure at Wichita State graduate school, he met and married Adele Brining in May 1978. They moved to Nashville,Tennessee so he could complete his Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee, making lifelong friends and colleagues. Upon returning to Kansas City, they welcomedtwin girls in April 1985. Katherine Jane and Meredith Ann, were the lights of his life – one incredibly proud dad.
Throughout Joe’s career, he was a published researcher in the fields of Community Psychology, Community Development, and Urban Planning + Design. Hisprofessional dedication landed him in a tenured leadership role in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Missouri-Kansas City from which he retired as Professor Emeritus of Psychology.
Joe married Marilyn (Armstrong) McGonagle in June 2007 in a fun twist of fate after a random answering machine message during a school reunion. He joined her and established a home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They were truly sweethearts and loved each other dearly. They were able to share and enjoy new places, baseball, golf, divine food and especially global travel. Paris, France became his favorite place in the world.
Joe, was also affectionately known as Joey, Dad, Daddy, and, quite possibly his most treasured, Papa. We will miss his spinning hugs, Bob Dylan renditions, taste in fine wine and food, sharing of news articles, and always having to go back in the house for something he forgot. As he ended all his family phone calls: love you, mean it, bye.
He is survived by his wife Marilyn; two children, Katherine Hughey Schowengerdt and husband Jesse and children Kensley and Kenton, and Meredith Ann Hughey and wife Christina and their boys Henry and Thomas; two sisters, Barbara Grant and Kathleen Bauer; one brother, Robert Hughey. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Roger Hughey.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests memorial donations be made to Breakthrough T1D (formerly Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) which was close to Joe’s heart. Link: https://www2.breakthrought1d.org/site/Donation2?2374.donation=form1&df_id=2374&mfc_pref=T
As per Joe’s wishes, his ashes will be scattered in a private ceremony in Lake City, Colorado. A memorial service to celebrate his life may be held at a later date; details will be shared with family and friends in the future. If you wish to share your memories of Joe with the family, please email them to hugheyk@gmail.com.
