JOHN ROY (JACK) HUGHES

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JOHN ROY (JACK) HUGHES The Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost their biggest fan on Sunday, February 20, 2011 when John Roy (Jack) Hughes passed away at the Grace Hospital at the age of 91. Dad was born in Winnipeg on January 30, 1920 the third of eight children born to Reg and Mabel Hughes. As a teenager he had to leave school early to help support the family. He worked at Western Messenger and spent his spare time playing hockey and following The Toronto Maple Leafs and later the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Dad enlisted in the RCAF during the Second World War serving overseas in England, Egypt and India among others. On his return to Canada following the war, he went back to school and completed his education as a Chartered Accountant. He met his wife Jean at this time and they were married in 1947. He worked at various CA firms, ran his own office machines business and retired as the comptroller at Northwest Commercial Travellers at the age of 80. Dad enjoyed spending time reading, listening to music and following the fortunes of his beloved Bombers and other sports teams from Manitoba. He attended Bomber games as a season ticket holder for well over 50 years. He was fiercely proud of his city and province. He was active in the Winnipeg Optimist Club in his younger years and more recently enjoyed outings with the Company of Friends at the St. James Senior Centre. Above all, Dad loved times spent with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dad was a gentleman. Polite to a fault, he provided a wonderful example to his family of how to live life with honesty and integrity. Lessons we will carry with us the rest of our lives. Dad was predeceased by his parents, his sister Edna, and by his wife Jean in 2006. He is survived by his siblings Reg, Irene, Joan, Doug, Betty and Sheila. He is also remembered with love by his daughters Brenda Olcen, Darlene (Greg) Mihalchuk, grand-daughters Ainslie Mihalchuk (Jeremy Gartner), Carly Olcen (Jay Harlow) and Erinn Olcen (James Lee) and by his great-grandchildren Taylor Olcen, Madalyn Gartner, Annaya Gartner and Jayden Harlow. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday March 1 at 2:00 p.m. at Thomson In The Park Funeral Home, 1291 McGillivray Boulevard. The family would like to thank the staff of Grace Hospital ICU and 2S for their compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Winnipeg Humane Society or The CNIB. Thomson In the ParK 925-1120 Condolences may be sent to www.thomsoninthepark.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 26, 2011