Some 60 years ago, in a little Tennessee town called Knoxville, a coed at the University of Tennessee came across this older gentleman, and I’m assured he was a gentleman, Hugh Caudill, who had recently arrived on campus after a few brief years in the Air Force. They became friends and even dated. But apparently the timing wasn’t right.
Mella Burrage went on to Richmond, Virginia, and worked for the Medical College of Virginia as an occupational therapist. And Hugh continued his airplane interests with a career at Delta Airlines in Atlanta, Georgia. Hugh married and had children, but unfortunately his wife contracted cancer and passed way too soon.
In the years after that, Hugh, took his freebie airline privileges on a very fortuitous trip to Richmond. He had already looked up Tennessee alumni records and was aware that Mella was living there, turned out she had never married. So Hugh called her, and when he told her his name, she responded with a vacuous, “Who?”
So you know the rest of the story!
A quarter of a century back, I suppose they decided the single-digit age difference wasn’t significant, and Mella and Hugh married and eventually went together to Atlanta and then to retirement at Trinity View and soon became active members of the community. They never miss a hike or a musical performance and are much loved by all.
I bring this up now only because Hugh is coming to the end of his participation and leadership in the Residents’ Council, a considerable gift to Trinity View. The Residents’ Council is an elected body that hears concerns of residents, passes them onto the administration and facilitates the response. The council also conducts the annual collection of residents’ monetary gifts for employees in lieu of tipping for the magnificent services they provide.
Hugh has been the president of the council for the last four years and is stepping down because of term limits. His tenure will be long remembered for his gregarious and humorous demeanor but especially his concern for and kind treatment of every resident request.
It’s not easy being the spouse of high level officials, but Mella can now sit back and enjoy her martini and Hugh his favorite Heineken knowing that the ringing telephone is not another resident with a problem. Enjoy!
