Joseph W. "Joe" Hughes

Joseph William “Joe” Hughes, 87, of Syracuse, IN passed away at 4:28 p.m. on Monday, November 7, 2016 at Goshen Hospital in Goshen, IN. He was born on July 6, 1929 in Syracuse, IN to John P. & Valeria Lucille (Hopple) Hughes.

He was a lifetime Syracuse area resident and attended Syracuse High School. On August 27, 1949 in Benton, IN he married Ethel Mae Reed who survives.  He was the owner / operator of Hughes Digging Service in Syracuse for 45 years and formerly worked at Syracuse Rubber.  He was a volunteer fireman for the Syracuse Fire Department for 54 years and formerly served as the fire chief.

He was a former member of the Eagles Aerie Lodge # 3760 in Syracuse, Commodore for the Wawasee Flotilla in 1989, and was named Kosciusko County Fireman of the Year in 1966. He formerly served as a board member for the Kosciusko County B.Z.A. and the Syracuse Town Board.

He is survived by:

Wife – Ethel Hughes of Syracuse

Son – Kirk (Makeda) Hughes of Fort Wayne

2 Daughters – Peggy (Brad) Schuldt of Culver & Brenda Daugherty of Syracuse

9 Grandchildren & 16 Gt. Grandchildren

Brother – Lamar (Caroline) Hughes of Temecula, CA

He was preceded by his parents, 5 brothers – John, Jim, Harold “Jesse”, Richard, and Tom Hughes, 3 sisters – Hattie Adams, Betty Peterson, and Ruth “Kate” Rogers.

Cremation will take place at Cremation Services of Kosciusko County, 4356 N. St. Rd. 15, Warsaw, IN. Visitation will be from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 13, 2016 at Owen Family Funeral Home, 1001 S. Huntington St., Syracuse, IN. Private family services will be held at the funeral home with Pastor Ernest Greene Jr. officiating. Private family burial will take place at a later date.

Preferred memorial may be given to the Syracuse Fire Department, 8138 E. McClintic Rd., Syracuse, IN 46567 or Goshen Home Care & Hospice, P.O. Box 723, Goshen, IN 46527.