Portsmouth Oceanographer, URI Master Gardener Dies at 66

David J. Hughes, 66, of Portsmouth died April 21, 2013 with his wife, Barbara Burns, by his side.

David was born in Aberbargoed, Wales, in 1946. David was a graduate of MIT and received his master's in biological oceanography from Johns Hopkins.

As an oceanographer, David worked at Bigelow Labs, Woods Hole and the University of Delaware before making the transition to technology. David worked at Digital Equipment Corporation and Hewlett Packard for 20 years.

On his retirement, he returned to his university and biology roots at the University of Rhode Island where he worked with the CEEC, lectured in the Master Gardener Certification Program and earned a place in the URI Master Gardener Hall of Fame. 

David was a renaissance man - a traveler, musician, amateur astronomer, model railroad buff, gardener, chef, teacher, mentor and beloved friend.

Visitation with the family will be held on Friday, April 26, from 1-2 p.m. in Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, followed by a memorial service in the funeral home at 2 p.m.