Date of death: 5/28/2022
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1960
Devoted husband, father, grandfather and teacher, passed away on May 28, 2022, the eve of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord.
John is predeceased by his parents, Clement and Anna G. Vittitow Hughes, four siblings and his beloved infant son, Timothy John,
He is survived by his loving wife, Patricia (Smith) Hughes, twin daughters, Kristen Hughes, Lauren Clayton (Nathan), and three grandchildren who brought so much joy to their Pawpaw, Adam, Ryan, and Isabel. He is also survived by many loving cousins.
As a priest of the Archdiocese of Louisville, John taught at Trinity High School and the former St. Thomas Seminary. After leaving the active ministry and marrying, he continued teaching for an additional 27 years at Kentucky Country Day School, retiring in 2002.
John attended Holy Name grade school, St. Xavier High School (1952). Early in his life, he developed a deep interest in world events, which led to his focus on history, religion, and foreign language. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from the former Bellarmine College, a Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, PA, and a Doctorate from the University of Kentucky.
He received grants and attended summer schools in Spanish at Georgetown College, the University of Florida, as well as in Mexico City and Madrid, Spain.
John was known by all for his sharp wit and sense of humor, which were innate, and very much a part of who he was. His keen mind never missed a beat and his spontaneous comments evoked bursts of laughter and livened up many gatherings. Above all, he was a humble, kind, and loving man who never ceased to be grateful for the life he had.
Photography being his lifelong hobby, John spent countless hours in his darkroom processing photos for yearbooks at Trinity and KCD. In addition, John had a passion for photographing his personal travels and family vacations, which are proudly displayed in the Hughes home. He continued to pursue his love of photography well into his retirement until the effects of a stroke in 2011 prevented him from doing so.
John was a teacher at heart. He made indelible impacts on his students, his children, and his grandchildren. He delighted in knowing he had an influence on his students and their interest in world events. But his greatest accomplishment in life, he always said, was his family.