JOSEPH BRADLEY HUGHES

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JOSEPH BRADLEY HUGHES After a dignified battle with lymphoma, Joseph Bradley Hughes went to be with Jesus on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at the age of 53. Brad is survived by his wife, Laurie Hughes, his daughter Makena, his mother Chickie, siblings Mark (Kathy), Tod (Laura), Andrea (Colin Loepp), Michele (Stephen Smith), Kelly (Candace), in-laws Pat, Ed and Dan Richenhaller, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Brad was predeceased by his brother Timmy and his father Joseph Barry Hughes, QC. A founding father of Winnipeg's tourism and culinary industries, Brad started Fanfare Magazine Group in 1984 because he wanted to promote Winnipeg as a hip and urban place. Every time he travelled somewhere, he said, Hey, we can do that in Winnipeg. Over the years, Brad started various seminal magazines like Uptown, WHERE Winnipeg and Ciao!. Brad helped establish Tourism Winnipeg and came up with the ad campaign, 100 Great Reasons To Love Winnipeg. He also founded the Winnipeg Cultural Alliance and was the first chair of CentrePlan (which became CentreVenture). Brad brought Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation to Winnipeg. He came up with so many other uncredited ideas that even he couldn't remember them all. But he never really cared about being in the spotlight. He always just wanted to make Winnipeg a better place. Later on, Brad turned to his last great love, food. In the last several years, he promoted cuisine tourism and helped restaurants to create Manitoba regional cuisine menus. In the midst of his first fight against lymphoma, he organized and hosted the 2006 Cuisine Canada national conference in Winnipeg and created the Manitoba Food and Wine Show to go along with it. Earlier in his life, Brad had a career as a ski instructor in three different provinces. Later, he taught other ski instructors in Manitoba while running his magazine business. Brad married Laurie in 1992 and together they made a perfect team. They shared a love of food, travel (especially tropical islands on the horizon), and The Lake (Kenora). In 2001, Makena came along, and Brad loved her more than anything. He treasured her, and their time hanging out, doing crafts, and telling elaborate imagination stories. Brad lived for his family, his work, having fun, making fun, and living life to its fullest. He was never daunted. At the end of Brad's brave battle, Brad fought off claims that he was a hero. He said that all he had done was try to weather the impossible situation he found himself in with as much grace and humanity as possible. He was right. Life is about doing the best you can in each moment. He did. And that makes him a hero. A funeral for Brad will be held on Monday, May 26 at 2:00 p.m. at Church of the Rock, 1397 Buffalo Place. In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to a Makena Hughes education fund. Cheques payable to Makena Hughes Trust Account may be dropped off at Church of the Rock.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 24, 2008