William Theodore McHugh

William Theodore "Ted" McHugh, of Colchester and formerly of Old Lyme, Norwich, and East Haven, passed away peacefully at his home on March 28, 2026, with his beloved family by his side. Born on October 20, 1938, in New Haven, CT, to the late William and Katherine (Hannan) McHugh, Ted enjoyed 87 vibrant years filled with love and laughter. He was a proud member of the first graduating class of the new Notre Dame High School in West Haven in 1956. Following high school, Ted enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in Germany as a member of Battery "C" 552nd Missile Battalion, and became a charter member of the "Honorable Order of the Bronzed Mustache." He remained a proud veteran and patriot throughout his life. Upon returning home, he attended the Connecticut School of Electronics in 1964 and went on to further his education at the Bridgeport Engineering Institute. Ted's distinguished and varied career spanned decades; he worked as an engineer for Machlett Laboratories for over 20 years, served in the U.S. Postal Service, founded and operated McHugh Realty, and managed the Sunny Waters Mobile Home Park and Benson Christmas Tree Farm alongside Sandra.

Ted enjoyed ballroom dancing, which is how he met the love of his life, Sandra Benson. They married in 2000, sharing 25 wonderful years together and eventually retiring to their home in Colchester. Ted's favorite pastimes centered around creating memories with his family and friends, whether that meant playing cards and board games or cheering on the Red Sox and Giants. Christmas was undoubtedly Ted's favorite time of year. A cherished family tradition was his reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. He would playfully pause and point to one of the children to recite the next line, continuing round-robin style until the story concluded in a room full of laughter. These joyful holidays were always spent playing games and singing carols, beautifully accompanied by his grandchildren on the piano and guitar.

Remembered as a hardworking, devoted family man, Ted possessed a wonderful sense of humor and a legendary gift for telling jokes. He was treasured as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend. His loss is deeply mourned by all who knew him, especially his wife, Sandra; his children, Patrick "Scott" (Ana) McHugh of Branford, Debra (Scott) Palmer of Branford, Kim (Dan) Waters of Griswold, and Amy Harmon of Wilmington, NC; his grandchildren, Niko Toschi, Samantha (Michael) Cronin, Erica and Brendan Palmer, Kayleigh and Cormac Waters, and Ella and Lucas Harmon; his great-grandchildren, Michael and Francesca Cronin; and many extended family members and friends. In addition to his parents, Ted was predeceased by his son, William "Billy" McHugh, and his brother, Brian McHugh.

Funeral services will be held at the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, 167 Old Hartford Rd., Colchester, on Thursday, April 9th, with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. at St. Andrew Catholic Church, 128 Norwich Avenue, Colchester, with full military honors and a reception to follow. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ted's memory may be made to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org), Connecticut Foodshare (www.ctfoodshare.org), or the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org). For online condolences or to share a favorite story about Ted, please visit www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com.