• Courtesy
• John Hughes

John R. Hughes passed away on March 17, 2024, at the Arbors in Shelburne, Vt., at the age of 74. He was born in Jackson, Miss., on June 7, 1949. He grew up with his parents, Michael and Edith Hughes, and his two brothers, Giles and Paul. He graduated from Millsaps College in 1971 and then earned his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical School in 1975. He completed residency in psychiatry there and at the University of Pittsburgh and held an NIH postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota, where he became an assistant professor.

It was in Minnesota where John met and married his wife, Sally Kruse Hughes. In 1985, John and Sally moved to Vermont, where he became a professor at the University of Vermont. During his 35-year tenure at UVM, he established an international reputation for his research on nicotine and tobacco control, earning numerous awards for his scholarly contributions. In 2005, the journal Tobacco Control identified John as the most-cited primary investigator in tobacco control research. Throughout his career and beyond, he mentored psychology graduate students and took great pride in their accomplishments. He volunteered his expertise to numerous state and national health organizations, served as president of the Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence, was cofounder and president of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, and was editor of the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine. He was a frequent presenter, a sought-after consultant and a valued colleague.

Throughout his life, John enjoyed engagement with the natural world. He was an avid hiker and bicyclist. He and Sally took advantage of his many international speaking engagements to take an extra week to explore the nearest mountain ranges. John and Sally could be found every weekend and vacation day pursuing outdoor adventures, from backpacking to white-water canoeing to cross-country skiing.

Some of John’s greatest joys were derived from being a father to his two daughters, Sara and Kelsey, and grandfather to his five grandchildren. It was then that his goofy side came out, and he was always making the kids laugh.

John is survived by his wife, Sally; daughter Sara Poplack, her husband, Aaron, and their two children, Lucy and Jake, of San Jose, Calif.; daughter Kelsey Sheahan, her husband, Corey, and their three children, Keegan, Lyle and Fiona, of South Burlington, Vt.; brother Giles Hughes and his wife, Leslie; and brother Paul Hughes of Albuquerque, N.M. A memorial gathering will be held this summer to allow all family and loved ones to attend.

John’s goal in life was to give back, and he contributed generously to various charitable causes, with more to follow after death. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider making a contribution in his memory to a charity of your choosing.