William Lee Hughes

HUGHES William Lee, 94, of Middleburg, FL, died peacefully Tuesday, February 15, 2022. He is survived by one brother, James Franklin Hughes (Linda), and by six children, James Lee Hughes (Barbara), Robert William Hughes (Wendy), John Wayne Hughes (Carol), William Earl Hughes (Cathy), Kathleen Ann Watson (Jerry) and Mary Ellen Hendrix (Sam). His wife, Mary Dorothy Wright Hughes, predeceased him on April 17, 2011.  He was blessed with 18 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, eight great-great-grandchildren, as well as many extended family and friends. Mr. Hughes was the first of seven children born to Liga David Hughes and Jessie Mae Hughes on the family farm in Holmes County, FL near Black, AL.  Numerous Hughes family connections remain in that part of West Florida and Southeastern Alabama.

Mr. Hughes was a WWII veteran in the U.S. Navy.  He served as a gunner’s mate aboard the U.S.S. Purdy (DD734) in the Pacific during the end of the war.  In 1948 he took his ship to the Boston Navy Yard where in Boston, MA he met the love of his life, got married, was honorably discharged and started a family.  After never getting used to the cold winters, the family moved to Florida in the early 1950s where he started his own business, Hughes Refrigeration.  After years of growing the business, he decided on a career change working for the Public Works Department at NAS Jacksonville, where he maintained environmental systems at the Naval Hospital NAS Jacksonville for more than 30 years.  He was a plank owner of the original existing Naval Hospital.  Mr. Hughes was also a member of American Legion Post 372.

He considered as family all who walked through his door, as he made everyone feel welcomed and loved. Mr. Hughes was a member of St. Luke's Catholic Church in Middleburg and a founding member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Jacksonville.

A rosary vigil service will be held on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 from 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm in the Broadus-Raines Chapel. Visitation with the family will follow from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Funeral Mass will be Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 10:30 am with Fr. Andy Blaszkowski as Celebrant at St. Luke’s Catholic Church. Reception will follow Mass in Rooney Hall. Interment will be at a later date with a private family ceremony at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Mandarin, Jacksonville, FL.