MELVIN JOSEPH “Mel” HUGHES
December 26, 1943 ~ August 9, 2012
 

Melvin Joseph Hughes, age 68 of Park Rapids, MN peacefully passed away on Thursday, August 9, 2012 at his home with his wife, Jane at his side.
Mel was born December 26, 1943. He attended Lakeside School and Shady Knoll in his elementary years and graduated from the Park Rapids High School. In 1963, he married Jane Moehlman, his high school sweetheart, at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Their 49½ year marriage was blessed with two children: Shari and Todd. Mel was employed at Vern’s Electric in Park Rapids, Graco in Minneapolis, his father-in-law’s nursery (now Forest & Floral), Doug Dickinson Concrete in Park Rapids, and Itasca Mantrap Cooperative - from which he retired at the age of 57 after 31 years. He continued his own businesses of Hughes Monument and custom Bobcat work, as well as serving on the Board of Directors for Itasca Mantrap. Mel served on several boards, including the board of elders, at St. Johns Lutheran Church, was President of the Park Rapids Archery Club, Tennis Association Chairman, President of Lakeside Cemetery and a member of the Todd Township Board. He was very skilled at all he did, be it bowling, hunting, trapping, archery, tennis, Bobcatting, nursery work, masonry construction, even building a neat outhouse with the three young grandsons using power tools.
Mel is being missed by his wife, Jane of Park Rapids, MN; daughter, Shari (Schan) Sorkness of Fergus Falls, MN; and son Todd (Tracy) Hughes of Park Rapids, MN; three grandsons: Kyle, Ryan and Josh; four sisters: Hilma (Cliff) Wright of Bow, WA; Helen (A.J.) Pfeifer of Park Rapids, MN; Nancy (Greg) Tigue of Dilworth, MN; and Joanne (Rick) Wright of Park Rapids, MN; brother, Al (Diane) Hughes of Maple Grove, MN; sisters-in-law: Joan (Jon) Tonneson of Newburg, ND; and Judy (Garry) Oliver of Spokane, WA; many nieces and nephews, other relatives and numerous friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Hilma Hughes; three sisters: Ethel, Tilda and Pansy Opal (in infancy) and one brother, Wesley.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Park Rapids, MN with Reverend James Neubauer officiating. Sarah Kaufenberg will be the organist. Mike Poole is the vocalist and will sing “The Lord’s Prayer”. The Congregational hymns will be “In Christ Alone”, “On Eagles Wings” and “Abide with Me”. The casketbearers will be: Kyle Sorkness, Ryan Sorkness, Jon Tonneson, Rick Wright, Vern Massie and Paul Pfeifer. The honorary casketbearers will be: Doug Belshan, Sam Pike, Curt Gwynn, Al Hughes, Greg Tigue, Sr., Garry Oliver, Ralph Sanquist, Bruce Dickinson and the Mixed Doubles Tennis League. Visitation will be held from 5-8:00 P.M. on Monday, August 13, 2012 at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids, MN and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Interment will be held at the Lakeside “Boot Hill” Cemetery near Park Rapids. A luncheon will be hosted for all following the service.