written by Mark aka Gohawksgo.
Mark has taken part in several projects built around the AOL Oldies Chatroom, which was frequented by many of us including Hugy over last past few years. He has also attended Hugyfest on numerous occasions. Mark has a way with words and has written a marvellous tribute to a great man. This tribute is published with the express permission of Mark.

HI ALL,

USUALLY THE WORDS COME EASY TO ME AND AS I WRITE THIS MAYBE THEY WILL BUT RIGHT NOW I AM IN SHOCK AS I AM SURE MANY OF YOU ARE.

TOM OR HUGY AS ALL OF US CALLED HIM WAS A RARE HUMAN BEING. THE KIND THAT YOU READ ABOUT AND SAY TO YOURSELF, WOW, I WISH I KNEW SOMEONE LIKE HIM.

WELL, WE DID AND ALL OF US ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THE CHANCE TO HAVE HAD THIS MAN ENTER OUR LIVES AND MAKE THINGS JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

YOU CAN PICK UP ANY NEWSPAPER AND START TO READ AN OBITUARY AND IT WILL ALWAYS SAY, LOVING HUSBAND, LOVING SON, LOVING FATHER AND FRIEND TO MANY. HUGY WAS ALL THAT AND SO MUCH MORE.

TO ARRIVE AT HIS HOUSE AND HAVE HIM GREET YOU WITH THAT BIG SMILE WAS SOMETHING I ALWAYS LOOKED FORWARD TO. HE WAS SO PROUD OF HIS HOME AND HIS FAMILY AND HIS COLLECTION OF MEMORABILIA AND IT WAS AN HONOR WHEN HE ASKED IF HE COULD PUT MY PICTURE ON HIS WALL NEXT TO ALL THE ENTERTAINERS HE LOVED. TO SEE THE SMILE WHEN HE SHOWED YOU HIS COLLECTIBLES WAS TO SEE A MAN WHO TRULY ENJOYED WHAT LIFE HAD GIVEN HIM.

TO HEAR HIM COME IN THE CHATROOM AND TALK ABOUT SARA AND HER BASKETBALL AND TRACK EXPLOITS WAS TO SEE A FATHER WHO ENJOYED BEING A DAD AND TO SEE THE LOOK ON HIS FACE EVERY YEAR AT HUGYFEST WHEN HE RECIEVED HIS GIFTS AND TO SEE HIM HOLD HIS PRECIOUS BARB SO CLOSE AS THEY DANCED IS SOMETHING ALL OF US WILL NEVER FORGET.

HUGY WAS ALWAYS A ROOM STATESMAN WHO WENT WAY ABOVE LINE TO MAKE SURE HE DID NOT GET INVOLVED IN ANY ROOM DRAMA UNTIL HE WAS FORCED INTO IT. HE TRIED SO HARD TO BE GOOD AND FAIR TO ANYBODY WHO CAME TO HIS HOME AND TO ANYBODY HE TALKED TO IN THE OLDIES ROOM.

I REMEMBER A SCENE AT MY 1ST HUGYFEST. THE FAMOUS 2001 WHERE WE HAD 113 PEOPLE ATTEND. I WONT NAME ANY NAMES BUT WE HAD IN THOSE DAYS A ROOMIE WHO MADE ALL OUR LIVES MISERABLE. THIS PERSON WOULD COME IN THE CHATROOM AND BELITTLE US ALL.
HE WAS A YOUNG PERSON WITH A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER AND RUMOR HAD IT THAT THIS PERSON WAS COMING TO HUGYS.

SO I ARRIVED ON SUNDAY AND MET SO MANY OF THE SCREEN NAMES I HAD BEEN TALKING TO FOR THE PREVIOUS FEW YEARS. I WENT DOWNSTAIRS AND HUGY WAS SITTING IN THE BACK OF HIS REC ROOM WITH THIS PERSON WHO HAD ARRIVED WITH HIS DAD. HUGY WAS SHOWING HIM HIS COLLECTION OF 45′S AND BEFORE LONG HUGY WAS OFFERING THIS MALCONTENT, RECORDS, FOR HIS TO KEEP, FROM HIS VALUED COLLECTION. I KINDA FORGOT ABOUT THAT MOMENT UNTIL THIS MORNING WHEN I GOT THE TERRIBLE NEWS OF HUGYS PASSING. HERE WAS A MAN WHO TRIED TO HELP MAKE SOMEONE ELSES LIFE MORE BEARABLE BY OFFERING HIM AN OLIVE BRANCH.

THIS WAS THE HUGY WE ALL KNEW AND LOVED AND THE HUGY WE WILL ALL MISS SO MUCH.

MY FAVORITE AUTHOR, BOB GREENE, WHO USED TO WRITE A COLUMN IN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, WROTE UPON THE DEATH OF CARL WILSON OF THE BEACH BOYS SOMETHING LIKE THIS. TO HEAR CARL WILSONS VOICE ON GOD ONLY KNOWS IS SOMETHING WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER AND IF A PERSON IS ONLY REMEMBERED FOR THAT, THAN HIS LIFE IS SPECIAL.

WELL HUGY MY GOOD FRIEND, YOU ARE REMEMBERED FOR SO MUCH MORE THAN SINGING A SONG. YOU AND YOUR ANNUAL PARTY HAVE BROUGHT SO MUCH JOY TO SO MANY AND YOU HAVE BEEN SO INSTUMENTAL IN CREATING A LIFELONG BOND FOR SO MANY OF US.

SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS BECAUSE OF HUGYS GENEROSITY AND I AM SURE THAT ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE HAD THE HONOR TO BE IN HIS GRACES FEEL THE SAME WAY AS I.

IN HONOR OF THIS WONDERFUL MAN I AM REPEATING THE CHAPTER ON HUGY FROM MY ROOM PROJECT IN APRIL OF 2006. HERE IS HUGY IN HIS OWN WORDS.

There is very little I can add about the importance of HUGY to the history of the Oldies Chatroom. His annual party at his home over the Memorial Day weekend has been a large part of the cornerstone of what makes the Oldies room what it is today. ~GOHAWKSGO Tom I am 57 and live with my wife and 2 children. My favorite music is Doo-Wop,Surf, Motown, Girl Groups, and Answer Songs. Have I ever attended a roomie party ? I’ve attended a few of ROC’s, TEXFEST, JIGGERFEST, been to WACKI JACKI’s, MADPOETS, dinner at JP’s and New Years at WESTNANOH. I have been to CHIFEST and gosh I almost forgot. I have been to a few HUGYFEST’s. I have also attended pre-oldies parties in Chicago, Memphis, New York and New Jersey. I used to be in the room 24/7, now I might spend an hour a day and on weekends I’m on quite a bit. My favorite moments would be the oldies trivia and the panty talk (which contrary to popular belief was NOT started by yours truly. I enjoyed all the older roomies who have since departed and I enjoyed the reaction to the panty poems and the panty night before Christmas (which I somehow lost and If anyone has it, would appreciate if someone could send It to me). Barb, Tom & Sara Hihobear, Hugybear and Cubette As far as the friends I have made It would probably take me a year to type all their names, there are so many and there are still a few I would like to meet. I could go on and on and on but let me say that each and every one of you has a special place in my heart. There are so many special memories, people thinking they can keep up with EFFELT and his drinking, RVB and MAME going out of there way to get me a Leslie Gore autographed picture, The Del-Roomios and the Hugettes, The expression on peoples faces when they walk down the steps and see the Rec Room for the first time and all the people over the years who have helped put together the fest and the sad goodbyes as roomies leave my home. I could go on an on but I think I will just end now.

SO, THANKS HUGY, FOR MAKING SO MANY OF OUR LIVES JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND GIVING US THE CHANCE TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND ACT LIKE KIDS AGAIN.

YOU WILL BE MISSED.

MARK

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