HUGHES, KENNETH C.
CHARLESTON, IL – Kenneth C. Hughes, age 86, of Charleston, passed away on Saturday, January 6, 2001 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center. Services celebrating his life will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 9 at Adams Funeral Chapel with with Reverend Dr. Mark Prevo and Pastor George Besch officiating. Visitation will be held this evening (Monday) from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Visitation and services will be held at Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Drive, Charleston. Interment, with military rites performed by the Honor Guard of Veterans of Foreign Wars Paul McVey Post 1592 of Charleston, will follow the services at Resthaven Memorial Gardens in Mattoon.
Kenneth was born August 11, 1914 in Coles County, Illinois, the son of Claude and Lula (Nees) Hughes. He married Frances Reddicks on January 10, 1947 in Charleston. She survives.
Other survivors include a daughter, Cheryl Helton and her husband Richard of Charleston; a son, Charles Hughes and his wife Jeri Matteson-Hughes of Charleston; three grandchildren, Brendan Hughes of Charleston, David Helton and his wife Bonnie of Carterville, Illinois and Lisa Foster and her husband Doug of Marion, Illinois; five great-grandchildren, Travis Foster, Robynn Foster and Dillon Foster of Marion and Jacki Reickenburg and Jacob Helton, both of Carterville; and one sister, Mercedes Myers of Groveland, Florida. He was preceded by his parents; one sister, Irma Bowman and a half-brother.
Kenneth was a member of the First Christian Church, and more recently attended Northside Baptist Church, both in Charleston. He was a member of the Marine Corps League, American Legion, Marine Raider Association, Charleston Moose Lodge #1388, Charleston Elks B.P.O.E. #623 and a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Paul McVey Post 1592 of Charleston.
A military veteran, he served with the [4th] Raider Battalion of the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Until his retirement in 1977, he was an operating engineer with U.S.I. Kenneth will be remembered as one who dearly loved his family and friends; he was always “there when needed.” His family and many friends were his audience on numerous occasions as Kenneth loved to share stories, war and otherwise. His hobbies included fishing and gardening and especially sharing the produce he raised with others. Baseball was an interest, too; he played baseball for the Charleston-Mattoon area semi-pro team and also coached Little League in Charlesto during the early sixties.
Memorials in honor of Kenneth may be made to donor’s favorite charity, in care of Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Drive, Charleston, IL 61920.