In Memoriam: C. Royce Hough III ’59, Trustee Emeritus Hough served on the Board of Trustees from 1982 to 1992.

Office of Communications and Public Affairs
February 21, 2025

Charles Royce Hough III ’59, trustee emeritus of Washington and Lee University, died Feb. 14, 2025. He was 87.

Born on Nov. 7, 1937, in Washington, D.C., to Charles Royce Hough Jr. and Helen Shaw Hough, Hough survived polio at age 10, which instilled in him a strength of character and purpose for life that he carried with him going forward. He graduated as valedictorian from Western High School in 1955 and went on to graduate as valedictorian from Washington and Lee in 1959, with a Bachelor of Science in commerce. While at W&L, he played lacrosse, was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa and met the love of his life, Harriet King Houston, of Memphis, Tennessee, who attended Hollins College.

The two married following his graduation and eventually had three sons: Michael, Ben and Mark. Hough received an MBA from Cornell University in 1961 and served as an air defense missile officer at Fort Meade in Maryland before moving to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1963. He enjoyed a long career in banking, including 20 years at Wachovia Bank. In 1993, he joined BB&T Corporation in Winston-Salem and eventually retired as executive vice president for corporate banking.

His measured, thoughtful and wise approach to business translated well to his civic leadership, which included his extensive volunteer service to W&L. He served for 10 years (1982 to 1992) on W&L’s Board of Trustees, “where he was able to give back to the place he always loved,” according to his obituary. As a trustee, Hough was a member of the Budget and Audit Committee, Development Committee, Executive Committee and Nominating Committee, as well as chair of the Investment Committee. In addition, he was a member of the Alumni Association’s Alumni Board of Directors from 1972 to 1976, serving as president of the Alumni Association in 1975-76, and chair of the university’s Annual Fund in 1978-79.

Hough’s civic involvement also included being a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Winston-Salem, as well as serving on the boards of Hickory Chair Furniture Co., the Piedmont Triad Partnership, the Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County and the Forsyth Country Club. He was a past president and director of the Piedmont Land Conservancy, the Nature Science Center (later SciWorks) and the YMCAs of Winston-Salem and Jacksonville, Florida.

An accomplished and avid birdwatcher — a passion he shared with his father that began with Hough’s bout with polio — Hough’s dedication culminated with a life list of more than 700 different bird species that he had heard or seen. He was a founding member of the Forsyth Audubon Society and was recognized with several Audubon Society awards. He led many birding trips around the country, inspiring others along the way. Another passion was fishing, especially trout fishing, in North Carolina and Florida. Hough’s love of the outdoors instilled in him a passion for land conservation and nature preservation, which led to years of service for the Piedmont Land Conservancy.

Hough is survived by sons Michael (Amy), Ben (Ann) and Mark (David Roberts); grandchildren Houston, Georgiana (Bill Reece), Henry, Liza, George and Mariella; and special friends Louise Austell and the Kouri family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Harriet, who died in 2017.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem, with a reception immediately following at the Forsyth Country Club. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Piedmont Land Conservancy.

Hough’s full obituary was published by Salem Funerals & Cremations.