Michael Paul Hughes, age 73, of Terre Haute, Ind., passed away peacefully in the early morning of July 9, 2022, after a lengthy battle with a lung disease.
Mike (aka. Hughey) was born on March 4th, 1949, in Sullivan, Ind. He graduated from Wiley High School in 1967 and soon after enlisted in the United States Air Force and served in Vietnam. Upon returning stateside, he completed training as an electronics technician. Among other employers, he worked for Amax Coal Company and retired from the Hoosier Energy Power Station in Merom, Ind., in 2011.
Mike brightened many spirits and brought smiles to others with his humorous antics. He was an accomplished guitarist and played with local notables the Makahas and Soul Messengers in the late 1960’s. He continued singing all over the region with his wife Beth as The Hues Deuce. Eventually, this duo became a family music ensemble. Dad, mom, and now three boys traveled together in their signature woody station wagon as the Hughes Family Singers. Mike was a member of the Banks of the Wabash Barbershop Chorus and passed on his legacy of that art form to his family — many of whom remain active in the genre to this day. “Dad Gyver,” as he was known to many, had a knack for being able to fix anything with minimum “proper” pieces and parts. He was truly a renaissance man as he also excelled as an amateur artist, painting wonderful mountain scenery, barbershop quartets, and memorial pet portraits. After retiring, Mike and Beth enjoyed sailing on Monroe Lake near their home at that time in Bloomington, Ind.
He leaves his high school sweetheart and wife of 53 years, Beth Fischer Hughes, sons Bryan, Aaron (Lynn), and Kevin, and grandsons Joshua, Collin, and Jacob. Several other sisters in law, nieces, nephews and family survive Mike and will miss him deeply.
Mike is proceeded in death by his parents Paul William and Rosemary Hughes, sister Patricia Lynn, as well as in-laws Clifford J. and Alice V. Fischer and many aunts and uncles.
Services are 1 p.m. Thursday at Greiner Funeral Home, 2005 North 13th Street, Terre Haute, Ind. Visitation will be from 11-1.
A private graveside service will happen at his final resting place, Roselawn Cemetary in north Terre Haute.
If friends so desire, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Harmony Foundation.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Michael Paul Hughes, please visit our floral store.