Ralph M. Hughes

Ralph M. (Sonny) Hughes Jr. It is with great sorrow to announce the passing of Mr. Ralph Hughes, Jr. (Sonny), who was found deceased on Thursday, October 18, 2012. At 82 years of age, he was an active participant in his business, church, and community. Known as an unfailingly kind and generous person, he will be sorely missed. Born on July 7, 1930, Sonny was the son of the late Josephine Parkes Hughes and Ralph Hughes, Sr. He was preceded in death by one sister, Betty Hughes Hurst and has one surviving brother, William H. Hughes, and wife, Amelia. He was a graduate of Battle Ground Academy and the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He took some time away from college to serve his country for three years in the U. S. Air Force during the Korean War. After routine basic training in Texas and California he was deployed to Giebelstandt, Germany and later, Trier, Germany. After returning to Wayne County, he gegan working for his father at Hassell and Hughes Lumber Comany. His work history spanned some 58 years in the hardwood lumber, dimension, and flooring business. For the past 16 years, he served as the president and CEO of the company. He was joyfully married to his sweetheart of 36 years, Betty Jean Skelton Haggard Hughes, who passed away on October 21, 2010. It was bittersweet and fitting to have his funeral conducted on that day. Services will be held at the Wayneboro church of Christ on Sunday afternoon, at 3:00 pm, with Gregg Lee and Mitchell Skelton officiating. Sonny will be laid to rest beside his beloved wife in Memorial Gardens. He was a proud father of four children who survive: Ralph Montague Hughes, III; Roy Haggard Hughes and wife, Jennifer; Robert Roy Haggard, III (Bob) and wife, Kim; and Ann Haggard Bevis and husband, Rex. He was a loving and devoted grandfather to six grandchildren: Gavin Hughes; Anna Elizabeth Haggard and Tara Duggar Hollis and husband, Jerry; Sarah Suzanne Bevis, Amanda Nell Bevis, and Wendy Bevis Daniel and husband, Ben. Also, he was a great-grandfather to Alex and Elly Hollis and Kaylee and Presley Daniel. Sonny enjoyed playing golf for many years and was instrumental inorganizing the Hackers golf trips from 1957 thru 2002. He served as a member of the Board of Directors for both Peoples Bank and the Wayne County Bank. In addition, he served on the board of directors for First Federal Savings and Loan Association, the Green River Country Club and Green River Development Corporation. He was a member of the Waynesboro church of Christ. Integrity, kindness, and love were the standards for Sonny his entire life. Wayne County has lost a wonderful citizen and friend. Always humble, he honestly believed that he received far more from the people of Wayne County than he ever gave. His gentle soul and kind spirit will be forever missed by those of us who had the privilege of knowing and loving him. He was truly one of a kind. Services will be held on October 21, 2012 at 3:00 PM at Waynesboro church of Christ in Waynesboro, Tennessee, with Gregg Lee, Mitchell L. Skelton officiating. Burial with military rites will follow in the Memorial Gardens at Waynesboro, Tennessee and Shackelford Funeral Directors, Wayne County, directing. Pallbearers will be Darrell West, Steve Collie, David Paul Hollis, Tony Hunt, Billy Reed, and Jonathan Littlejohn. Honorary pallbearers will be Dave West, Dannie Brown, Larry Wright, Johnny Heard, John Galbreath, Darwin Rich, and Kirk Rutledge.