Smith Center - Donald Lee Hughes, 86, passed away Monday, October 1, 2018 at Parkview Care Center, Osborne, KS.
He was born September 6, 1932 in Smith Center, KS, the son of Grant and Gladys (Hoyt) Hughes. On June 8, 1951 he married Wilma A. Conaway in Smith Center, KS. To this union they were blessed with two children, Randy and Linda.
Donnie grew up working on the family farm picking corn by hand and plowing fields. During and after he graduated high school he worked at the local theater as the projectionist and also for the drive-in theater. In 1960 Donnie started working for Mini-Max Provisions which later became Schriver-Boogaarts and stayed there for 35 years retiring in 1995. He drove a truck for 21 years and later worked in the office for 14 years as a buyer. He was also the transportation supervisor for last four or five years at Mini-Max. Donnie was a avid golfer throughout his life and played as much as he could after he retired. He also enjoyed going deer hunting with his son-in-law Dave and loved to hunt pheasant every year when the season opened. While Randy was growing up, Donnie helped coach his Pee Wee and Cookies baseball teams and won state one year while coaching the Pee Wee's. He was a Mason, a Shriner; where he was a past Master of the Lodge and also in the Oriental Band. He was a member of the United Methodist Church.
Donnie was preceded in death by his wife Wilma on August 12, 2018, his parents, a daughter, Linda Relihan, a grandson, Cale Relihan, two brothers, Bob and Charles Hughes and a sister, Maxine Rush.
He is survived by his son, Randy J. Hughes of Topeka; son-in-law, David Relihan of Topeka; five grandchildren, Joshua (Tammy) Hughes of Topeka, Jara Michelle (Jason) Matney, Jesse (Ashley) Hughes of Topeka, Joseph Hughes of Topeka and Erin (Trent) Horst of Lenexa, KS; ten great grandchildren, Payton and Grant Hughes, Devin Wolf and Kayden and Gavin Matney, Taylor and Kellen Hughes, Brody and Brynn Hughes, Cale Horst and one great granddaughter, Crimson Avery Horst.
A celebration of Donnie's life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 6, 2018 at All Faiths Funeral Chapel, Smith Center, KS. There will not be a public visitation as cremation was chosen. Inurnment will be in the Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center, KS. Memorials may be given to the Alzheimer's Association and can be sent in care of the funeral chapel.