James Wallace 'Wally' Hughes

James Wallace Hughes died on March 15, 2013, at the age of 97 years, in Prescott, Arizona, where he had lived for six years. “Wally” was born in O’Neill, Nebraska, March 6, 1916, the fourth of seven children to George Wayman Hughes and his wife, the former Etta Gail Smith of Wayne, Nebraska. The family moved to Wayne, Nebraska, in 1918 after his father registered for the World War I draft. Wally graduated from Campus High School in 1936. On November 21, 1937, he married the former Ruth Genevieve Dressler of Brunswick, Nebraska. Three children were born to them prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Wally was a skilled mechanic which protected him from the World War II draft. In October 1945, he switched to working on John Deere farm tractors and was employed at Brandstetter Implement Co. until August 1963 in Wayne, Nebraska, when Wally and Ruth moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington. Wally was a custodian at Blakely Elementary School on Bainbridge Island until his retirement in May 1981. While he lived in Washington, he was well-known for growing flower gardens and potted “Martha Washington” geraniums and fuchsias. In May 2007, Wally and Ruth moved to Prescott, Arizona to be near their son. Ruth was in ill health and needed more health care. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2007. Ruth died in March 2008 in Prescott, Arizona. Wally was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his two sisters, his four brothers, and all of their spouses, and also his younger son, William Wallace Hughes of Keiser, Oregon, and his daughter, Barbara Gertrude Dappen of Lincoln, Nebraska. Surviving Wally are his son James Arthur Hughes and wife, Judy, of Prescott, Arizona; his son-in-law Dr. Glen Dappen and wife Bonnie of Lincoln, Nebraska; his daughter-in-law Lynda Hughes of Salem, Oregon; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Wally accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior in April 1945 and is rejoicing with family members and worshiping God in Heaven.

Cemetery:
Burial will be with his wife at