Byron Hughes

Byron A. Hughes, 91, of Holbrook, (Richhill Twp.), Pa. died at 7:30 a.m. Monday, September 1, 2014 in his home. He was born October 1, 1922 in Richhill Twp., Greene County, Pa. a son of the late Leslie M. and Cassie Odessa McCracken Hughes and had resided in the Richhill Twp. area all his life. Mr. Hughes was a member and former elder and deacon of the Unity United Presbyterian Church at Graysville, Pa. and a founding member of the West Greene Area Lions Club. He was a graduate of the former Richhill Twp. High School and earned his BS in Agricultural Education from Penn State University, and Masters Certifications from Michigan State, West Virginia and Rutgers Universities, and was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. Mr. Hughes was a veteran of World War II where he served as a Sergeant with the U.S. Army Air Force in SQ E,2140th AAF Base Unit, receiving the Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. He was employed as a Vo-Ag teacher at the former Center Twp. High School in Rogersville and was last employed as a Vo-Ag teacher by the West Greene School District for a total of 40 years prior to retiring in 1988. Mr. Hughes was a self-employed farmer all his life, and enjoyed Penn State and West Greene Athletics, and also followed the Pittsburgh Pirates, Penguins and Steelers. He was a member of the Greene County Farm Bureau, Greene County Conservation Board, Greene County Planning Commission, County and State Teachers Association, National and Pa. Vocational Agricultural Educators, and the Greene County Retired Teachers Association, and was a former member of the West Greene School Board. On July 8, 1950 he married Virginia Louise Carothers who died June 16, 2010. Surviving are three sons, Allen, husband of Kathy Hughes of Waynesburg, Charles, husband of Janet Hughes of Sayre, Pa. and Curtis, husband of Jody Hughes of Holbrook; a daughter, Nancy, wife of Carl Burns of Rogersville; 11 grandchildren, Stefani Gresh, Justin, Eric and Tyler Hughes, Kati Alteri, Jessica Shirey, Laura Plotts, Rebecca Durkin, Sara Obrad, Rachel Raber and Mary Burns; four great grandchildren, Jocelyn and Jace Gresh, Gregory and Grace Plotts; a brother, Eugene Hughes of Graysville; several nieces and nephews. Deceased in addition to his parents and his wife are a brother, Gerald Hughes; two sisters, Jane Abel and Marie Grimes. Friends will be received from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Rush Funeral Home, Inc. Rogersville, Pa. where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, September 5, 2014 with Rev. Walt Stevenson and Pastor Dave Lowe co-officiating. Interment will follow in Greene County Memorial Park, Morgan Twp. Graveside military rites with be accorded by representatives of the U.S. Army and the Waynesburg American Legion Post 330. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to either the Unity U.P. Church, Graysville, Pa. 15337 or the West Greene FFA Scholarship Fund, 1352 Hargus Creek Rd., Waynesburg, Pa. 15370.