OBITUARY

James Thomas Tough
May 4, 1938 – January 10, 2025

James Thomas Tough, PhD, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2025 with family by his side. Brilliant, humorous and caring, Tough was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend and scientist who lived life to the fullest and made friends wherever he went with his wit and kindness.

Proud Scotsman, constant contemplator, world traveler, bagpipe and Bach lover, fly fisherman, practical joker, master gardener and genealogist, Tough loved being in nature, having "a good problem to solve", Monty Python, good jazz, and simply being with the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Judy Tough, married 64 years. His favorite places were his homeland of Scotland (and the lands of Tough in Aberdeenshire), Chicago, Port Townsend, WA (where he retired), or on a river fly fishing ("looking for risers").

Born in Chicago to beloved parents Thomas and Dorothy, Tough was the first to go to college in his family, earning a PhD in physics from the University of Washington. He was an Emeritus at The Ohio State University and earned full professorship and tenure by age 30. A passionate "born again atheist", humanist and progressive, he advocated for world peace, human rights, and clean energy to fight climate change for decades, and was part of the Union of Concerned Scientists in opposition to Reagan's "Star Wars" initiative. Tough embraced and deeply valued human enterprises such as music, art, books and science, and strove for an ethical life based on empathy and reason.

Tough is survived by his beloved and cherished wife of 64 years, Judith Anne Tough of Santa Fe, NM, daughters Jennifer Tough Hemsley of Santa Fe, NM and Jackie Tough of Port Townsend, WA, son-in-law Todd Hemsley of Santa Fe, NM, beloved grandchild Pearl Hemsley of Santa Fe, NM, cherished sister Kathleen Tough Tamarri (Fred), nieces Shannon Tamarri Stumm (Jim) and Lindsay Tamarri Kovacevich (Daniel) and their children Joseph, Grant and Reid Stumm and Sonia and Luke Kovacevich, all of Chicago, IL, along with friends and colleagues from around the world. He will be deeply missed by many, but the world is a far better place for him being in it.