How Do You Measure a Year Without McKean?
One year ago, Hugh McKean passed away and left a gaping hole in this world.
While we can’t bring him back, those of us who knew him and loved him, and there are so many, we can share stories about him and try to carry on his legacy.
I first met Hugh at a Panera Bread off I-25 in Thornton.
It was mid-November 2020 and retailers weren’t allowing indoor dining due to COVID-19 restrictions, so Hugh and I sat outside in the brisk, late-autumn chill sipping coffee to keep warm. I was interviewing with him to be his chief of staff.
Former Assistant Minority Leader Tim Geitner, Chief of Staff Jonathan Finer, and Minority Leader for the Colorado House Hugh McKean.
Hugh had just been elected as the House Minority Leader. The caucus was fractured, and it was a tumultuous time, but Hugh - ever the happy warrior - was not to be deterred from the task ahead.
We talked about what kind of conservative, leader, and legislator he was and aspired to be. We discussed the leadership and accomplishments of Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, the Revolutionary War and the sacrifices of those who fought and died for our country to be established.
In this moment, as occurred often I found out, Hugh referred to one of his forebears from whom he was a descendant that had fought during the years-long battle for the fledgling United States’ independence from Great Britain. He was proud of his heritage, proud to be an American, proud to be a Coloradan, and proud to represent Loveland in the State House.
What struck me most, though, was how genuinely he wanted to know me. Not just the typical small talk information as is common during job interviews, but about my family, my struggles and my achievements. Before long I felt like I had been talking with a friend whom I’d known for years.
Ironically, as was typical with anyone who met with Hugh, two hours had flown by before either of us realized it.
As we bid each other goodbye that cold November morning, Hugh embraced me with a bear hug that I, along with so many others, cherished. I felt as though I had not only connected with Hugh, but that he was instantly a friend and had the makings of a statesman whom I wanted to emulate.
A few weeks later Hugh hired me as his chief.
As a fresh face in the Capitol, I tried to learn names, norms, and the House rules as quickly as humanly possible. But no matter how much time I spent reading or interacting with folks, I learned more about the happenings under the Gold Dome from Hugh than anything else.
The reason for that was simple; Hugh loved the Capitol. He loved the institution, the people, and the process. He was an effective representative because he cared about his constituents, and he cared about Colorado.
But Hugh at the Capitol was only one side of the multifaceted man.
If you spent a couple hours with Hugh, you know that he had a story for everything. His journeys and knowledge knew no bounds. But the thing that exceeded his breadth and depth of knowledge was his love. Hugh loved his kids, he loved his partner Amy, and her kids, and to be honest, he loved most of the people whose paths crossed with his.
Hugh McKean’s love for others wasn’t shallow, it was meaningful. The kind of love that reaches out to you with no forewarning when he felt something was up. This is the kind of love that I hope to emulate, and that I think the world could use right now.
At his lying-in-state ceremony last November, master of ceremonies Scott James asked all of the attendees to tell the person sitting next to them, “I love you,” in honor of Hugh, as that’s how he ended most conversations.
As we look back over the past year since Hugh’s passing, many things have changed.
I often wonder what Hugh would be doing right now and how he would react to the things going on in our world. But one thing is for certain, he would be the happy warrior charging ahead, led by his convictions and his love for others.
Today is a good day for each of us to do the same.
Jonathan Finer
Hugh McKean’s Friend & Chief of Staff