Hugh M. Tafta resident of Kendal in Hanover, NH, died Tuesday, May 3, 2016 peacefully with family at his side. He is survived by son Roderic and his wife Christine of Medfield, MA, daughter Martha Taft and her husband Fred Weiss of Washington, DC, son-in-law Jeffrey Taft-Dick of Springfield, VT, plus 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Hugh was predeceased by his wife Barbara just two months ago, daughter Pamela Taft-Dick, and daughter Paula Taft.

Hugh Taft was born and raised in Wallingford, Vermont, the youngest of six children of Raymond and Maud Taft. An excellent student at Wallingford High, Hugh earned admission to Middlebury College, class of 1944. He entered their 3-2 program which earned him a BA degree from Middlebury and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1947. His service in the US Navy (Electrician's Mate) came between his last 2 college years.

Hugh's first job was with Baxter D. Whitney in Winchendon, MA in 1947. He met the love of his life, Barbara Lee Pauli of Rutland, VT in 1947; they married in 1949 and remained a devoted couple for 67 years. In 1950 they moved to Springfield, VT where Hugh joined Bryant Chucking Grinder Corp as a mechanical engineer.

Hugh and Barbara were members of the UCC church in Springfield and sang in the church choir for 49 years. Hugh was a member of the Springfield Rotary Club, and an enthusiastic hiker and skier; he and the family were regulars at Mount Ascutney.

In 1960 Hugh left Bryant and joined with two local business partners to form Vermont Research Corp (VRC) which became a leading manufacturer of magnetic memory drums for the emerging computer industry. VRC employed several hundred people in their North Springfield plant in a variety of engineering and precision manufacturing jobs for nearly two decades.

In his retirement Hugh was able to devote more time to his great interest in trees, and cultivated a sizable arboretum on their property. He and Barbara moved to Kendal in 1999.

A memorial service will be held at the First Congregational Church UCC in Springfield, VT on May 21, 2016 at 11am.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Rand-Wilson Funeral Home of Hanover, NH.