Ida M. McHugh, 96, passed away January 31, 2021, at Monroe Village, Monroe Township, N. J.

Born and raised in Princeton, NJ, Ida was a loving wife and mother, a loyal friend, and a 'fixture' in the Princeton community.

A graduate of Princeton High School, she met her husband, Elmer 'Iggy' McHugh, at the Castania Dairy (now PJ's Pancake House), where the two worked side by side flipping burgers and whipping up milkshakes.  They raised two children, Lawrence and Sharon, and enjoyed a long and colorful life together, dining often with friends at The Annex and Conte's, vacationing at the Jersey Shore, and attending sporting and community events.  She rarely missed a Princeton University football game and was a lifelong New York Yankees and Green Bay Packers fan.

A caterer by profession, known for her delectable dishes, Ida was proudly Irish. She celebrated her Celtic heritage through years of charitable giving and service to organizations close to her heart; among them, the Princeton Fire Company, the American Legion Post 76, the Knights of Columbus, and St. Paul's Catholic Church.  Her 'Irishness' was always ever present; it was evidenced by her remarkable strength to weather tragedies and bad news with grace and optimism, her 'joie de vivre' and big heart, and in her fearlessness.  Throughout her life she exhibited an adventurous and pioneering spirit — she earned a pilot's license in her 20s, was known to swim long stretches in the Delaware River Canal, and worked well into her 70s, remaining independent and active into her 90s.

Ida was predeceased by her parents, Raymond and Nellie Smith,  her loving husband Elmer L. 'Iggy' Mc Hugh, her son Lawrence 'Larry' McHugh, her bother Leroy and sister Rita.  She is survived by her daughter Sharon A. McHugh and son-in-law, Walter V. Maykowskyj of Princeton and three nephews, Stanley 'Pete' Sibert of Hamilton, NJ,  Joseph O'Gorman and wife Donna of Trenton, NJ and Thomas Witt and wife Linda of Florida.

Due to the pandemic, graveside services and burial at Princeton Cemetery are private. A memorial service will be scheduled for a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Princeton Fire Department, 363 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ 08540.