Obituary of Hugh R. Wiley

Hugh R. Wiley, age 78, of Marshfield, passed away July 15, 2011 at The House of The Dove in Marshfield after a brief illness with his loving wife at his side. At the request of Hugh and his family, private services will be held at a later date. Hugh was born August 10, 1932 in Kokomo, Indiana, son of the late J. Gordon and Mary (Robinson) Wiley. He attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, and was a graduate of both Purdue and Northwestern University, with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Mechanics from Purdue and a Masters in Business Administration from Northwestern. Hugh served his country in the United States Army. Hugh married Virginia Baker in 1955. They were married 15 years and had four beautiful children. They later divorced. Hugh married Catherine Spencer on December 11, 1981 in Los Angeles. Hugh was an Administrative Assistant at Material Service Corporation, a building materials supply company in Chicago, Illinois. Along with his father, Gordon, and his brother, Jim, Hugh owned and operated Miller Steel Company in Kokomo, Indiana. He worked as a Tour Escort of Continuing Medical Education, which took him to such locations as Tibet and the Amazon. His hotel and property management experience included President and General Manager of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, and as manager of two resort hotels in Kauai and Maui, Hawaii. Hugh and Catherine also owned and operated a wholesale import business in Los Angeles. Hugh retired in 1998 and remained active as a volunteer with several organizations. He was a member of the track team in high school, college, and while he was in the Army. Hugh loved to travel and spent ten months on a boat sailing around the world. He was always active and enjoyed bicycling, volleyball, bowling, swimming, ping pong, hiking and walking. Hugh was a loving husband, devoted father and grandfather, and a dear friend to many. He had a tremendous spirit of adventure and zest for life. He was generous with his time and affection for family and friends, and had a smile that could light up a room. He will be greatly missed by all. Survivors include his wife, Catherine of Marshfield; his former wife, Virginia Hendren of Idaho; three children: Deborah (Robert) Staggs of Idaho, Richard (Tullia) Wiley of Texas, and Ann (Michael) Haug of California; six grandchildren: Laura, Michael, Brandon, Olivia, Joshua and Brian; one great-grandson, Caleb. He is further survived by one sister, Penny (Reed) Kailing of Mequon and numerous nieces and nephews. Hugh is preceded in death by his parents, his son, John and his brother, James. Special thanks to the staff at Companion Day Services, the Palliative Care Unit at Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital, and House of the Dove.