Mr. Thaddeus "Duke" Hugh Windsor

Passed away peacefully on March 3, 2025 in Stockton CA.

Born June 28, 1931, to Katie Leah Butler and Earl Windsor in Austin, TX, Hugh was named after St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of desperate situations. Ironically, he didn't love his saintly name and preferred going by Hugh. Perhaps the saintly vibes did rub off, though, because Hugh had the patience of a saint—especially when dealing with the DMV.

During the Dust Bowl, the family moved to California, where Hugh attended local schools and graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1949. Shortly after, he joined the Stockton DMV, earning the nickname "Duke" (not to be confused with the Duke of Windsor, but close enough). He moved around California climbing the DMV ranks, retiring after 38 years as the manager of the Stockton DMV. His most legendary DMV tale? Meeting the love of his life, Mary Anne Coomes, who worked at a nearby car lot. She would often come to the DMV and insisted on Hugh to help her. They married in 1956, and after 60+ years together, she passed away in 2021.

Hugh and Mary had three kids, including Steven (who passed in 2023), Valerie (Carl), and Kimberly (Joseph). Hugh was the epitome of "Dad Goals” kind, generous, and rarely seen without a grin. When he was excited, he'd do "The Windsor Rub"—a combination of hand clapping and rubbing that became a family tradition. If you ever saw a large group of people doing it at once in public, you’d know it was a Windsor family reunion.

Despite working full-time, Hugh earned his degree, became a real estate broker, and eventually started an appraisal company, Windsor Realty and Appraisal with his daughters. He said it was one of the best times of his life.

Hugh and Mary loved road trips in their RV, completing the ultimate goal: stickers from all 50 states. They also adored their 7 grandkids and 7 great-grandkids, taking them on adventurous trips and teaching them life lessons, often involving an “Indian trick” or two. And if you ever left his house, you were guaranteed a bag of candy and chips for the road—classic Windsor tradition that will be dearly missed.