BENNIE MITCHELL “MITCH” HUGHES, 83

BENNIE MITCHELL “MITCH” HUGHES, 83, went home to be with the Lord in the early morning hours of Saturday, August 2, 2008. Mitch passed away at his home with his loved ones by his side. Born April 13, 1925, in Denniston, Kentucky, Menifee County, to Rev. Anderson Curtis Hughes and Lizzie Jane Brown, he was their 11th child. The family moved to Fort Wayne when Mitch was a young child. At age 16, he met the love of his life, June Marjorie Peters; they were married on October 15, 1942, and for 66 years they shared life and their love for each other. Mitch and June were blessed with three children; two daughters and one son. Mitch began his career at International Harvester in 1944, when he was 19 years old, and retiring at 57 years of age, in 1981. After his retirement, Mitch taught himself to repair, restore and build antique clocks. For the next 34 years he enjoyed working on clocks, and learning continually about how they functioned and how to restore them to their original beauty and purpose.

“Mitch will always be remembered fondly as a good and true friend, a loving, adoring husband, a wonderful father, an awesome “Papa”, and a genuine blessing to everyone who took the time to know him.”

Mitch is survived by his wife of 66 years, June; one son, Kenneth Dale Hughes (Cheryl), of Muncie, Indiana; two daughters, Beverly Jean Roberts (William) of Angola and Benita June Bramer (Donald) of Grand Junction, Colorado; nine grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Lexie Eubank of Fort Wayne.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers; three sisters; and two infant siblings.

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Funeral was 1 p.m. Thursday at Elzey Patterson Rodak Home for Funerals, 6810 Old Trail Road, Fort Wayne. Visitation was from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions to Hospice Pallative Care, Parkview of Fort Wayne.