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Note: N698 Obituary:
John Wesley Barton Hughes
AKA Dad, Daddy, Daddy Jack, Unc, Papa and Trader Jack, moved on to that great hunting and fishing ground in the sky on Friday, February 26, 2010. If you ever made a deal or a trade with Dad, you know him as a wonderful person and a damn fine trader. He loved to get the best of you in a deal, but he’d give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. There was nothing he couldn’t trade, if he could find someone who was interested in it. He’d trade you out of the tires on your car and the shoes on your feet, then give you a ride home. He never knew a stranger, never met someone he couldn’t find something about to like and never met a person he couldn’t talk to. Dad was a great story-teller, and often the story got better the more times he told it. Jack was born on March 20, 1923 at Powell Station, Tennessee, the 6th of 11 children born to Goldie Gertrude Lovejoy Hughes and Otto Arleigh Hughes. While he was still just a small child the family moved to Oregon, settling in the Springfield, Oregon area. His mother became ill when he was around 13 and he spent several years in the children’s home in Eugene, Oregon. His best friend, Jackie Whities, invited him home for dinner and the Whities family kept him. This gained him another set of parents, another brother and two more sisters. Besides being an accomplished horse trader, Dad was a great mechanic and would tinker with any type engine until his eyesight got bad and motors became computerized. Most of his work career was spent in sawmills, with a few years at the Tiller Ranger District. He also worked for a short time in the 1960’s as a janitor for the Days Creek School District.Working for someone else ended when Dad had a series of heart attacks in his 40’s. After that, he made his living and supported the family trading and buying and selling.
Nothing made Dad happier than a “good deal”. Dad was a musician, playing drums, guitar, harmonica and the swine-ette. He along with his father and brothers had a band and played at many of the local honkytonks and grange halls. He made up lyrics to songs for his children that kept his wife fuming and his kids in hysterics.
In 1942 Dad spied Mabel Irene Peterson in the front yard of her home and it was love at first sight. When she refused to even speak to him, he left and returned with his younger sister Joan. This persistence gained him a conversation and a year later, on June 24, 1943, they eloped to Coeur’d Alene, Idaho and were married. Jack and Mabel were blessed with five children. Their house was always filled to the brim with extras, children and adults alike.
There is no way to count how many people considered Jack and Mabel their “other” parents and they never turned a person away from their door. Dad especially loved children and hated to see any child unhappy.
Jack is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mabel, and children, Jack and Fay Hughes; Meloni (Mike) and Sarah (Jason); Jill and Tom Waltenspiel; Shelli (Steve) and Larry (Heather); Wes and Chris Hughes; Amber and Ashley; Trudi and Mike Moore; Coby (Robin) and Wendy and Gary Fredlund; Mindy (Jason) and Denver (Nancy Boyd); many great-grandchildren and great great-grandchildren and a huge extended family. He was preceded in passing by one grandchild, Autumn Fredlund; his parents Goldie and Otto; foster parents, Goldie and Newton Whities; brothers Bill, Otto Jr (Tudes); Roy and sister, Ida; his foster brother, Jackie, and foster sisters, Aileen and Margaurite. He is survived by his sister Joan Zumwalt and brothers Richard and Ronald and many nieces and nephews. All of you know who the favorite daughter-in-law, son-in-law and grandchild are.
During WW II Jack served in the US Navy and was stationed on the USS Independence. He was honorably discharged in November 1945 and with his wife, Mabel, moved to Douglas County where they presently reside. For a number of years the family lived in a school bus converted by Grandpa Otto into a motor home on the South Umpqua River. We were the first hippies on the South Umpqua - before the term was invented. Daddy, we love you and thank you for the best childhood and growing-up any kids could ever have. We will take good care of Mom for you, until she meets you at the gate.
A celebration of Dad’s life will be held on Sunday, March 14, 2010 at 2 p.m. at the Winston Community Center. Please join us and share your memories. Arrangements are under the direction of Taylor’s Family Mortuary.
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