Don Marsden Hough

Don Marsden Hough died on Monday, June 2, 2008 in the Specialty Hospital of Washington- Hadley in Washington, DC, of renal failure.

Born November 20, 1930 in Winchester, he was the son of the late Dr. Walter S. Hough and Fern Marsden Hough.. A life-long Winchester resident, he graduated from John Handley High School, Class of 1950. Active in the Boy Scouts, he received the Order of the Arrow, achieved scouting highest rank of Eagle Scout, and was an assistant scout master. Throughout his high school years he worked in various capacities at the Winchester Fruit Research Laboratory (which became Va. Tech's Agricultural Research & Extension Center on Laurel Grove Road), where his father was chief entomologist. He enlisted in the U.S.Navy in 1951, serving in Rhode Island, Florida, Tennessee, South and North Carolina. For a time he worked in the parts department of Ebert's Buick. In 1956, after an 18-month course in Texas at the University of Houston, he received a certificate in Automotive Mechanics. Later, he received training and certificates at Greer Shop Training, Inc. (Chicago) and Lincoln Electric (Milwaukee) in Arc and Gas Welding, both in 1958. For short period he worked in the shop of the late Arch Jones. In 1964 he began his own business, Don's Sharpening and Repair Shop, which he ran for 21 years, retiring in 1985. With this he also had the local dealership for Tecumseh, and Briggs and Stratton motors. He sharpened and repaired individual lawn mowers of all kinds, large gang-mowers, as well as knives, saws, etc. Besides being an excellent mechanic, he was also talented in woodworking, metal working, and cabinet making, creating individual pieces upon request. For several years he helped a friend install air conditioning systems.

His interests over the years have included motorcycling, model trains, train history, coins, boating, and of late, televised car racing and football.

He was baptized in childhood in the First United Methodist Church on N. Braddock St., his family's church.

Mr. Hough is survived by a sister, Barbara H. Christjohn of Morristown, NJ; two nephews, Arthur of Winchester, and Brian Christjohn and his wife Barbara of Atlanta, GA, and two nieces, Aimee and Claire Christjohn of Morristown, NJ.

Viewing hours for Mr. Hough at the Omps Funeral at 1600 Amherst Street, Winchester, will be 7:00p.m. - 9:00 p.m. on Friday, June 6, 2008. A graveside service will be held in Mt. Hebron Cemetery at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 7, 2008, with the Rev. Steve Melester officiating, and with military honors accorded by VFW Post No. 2123.

In lieu of flowers friends may wish to make contributions in Mr. Hough's memory to the Boy Scouts of America at 107 Youth Development Court, Winchester, or to the National Kidney Foundation of the Virginias (www.kidneyva.org/donate.htm) at 1742 E. Parham Rd., Richmond, VA 23228, or to the American Lung Association (www.lungusa.org)a at 61 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10006