Donald P. Hughes
Donald P. Hughes of Natrona Heights died March 27, 2020, at the age of 86.
He was a son of the late Earl and Helen Phillips Hughes. He was born May 9, 1933, in Waynesburg.
Don entered the U.S. Army at just 14 years old and by the time he was 18, he finished his tour of duty. During his time at Fort Atterbury, Ind., he met a girl, Jacqueline Blackford. For him it was “love at first sight” and he knew he would marry her one day. Knowing each other for just three months, they married June 30, 1951. This June would have marked their 69th wedding anniversary.
Their union produced two children, a son, Donald E. Hughes and his wife, Wendy, and his daughter and caregiver, Joyce E. Hughes Schiebel and her husband, Alan, of Natrona Heights.
Don worked as an engineer for Peoples Natural Gas Co. all of his life until his retirement in 1989. He was active in the 1960s and 1970s with the Buffalo Township Fire Department (assistant chief) and later with the Sarver VFD as their chief.
He loved cars; buying them, detailing them — loved them! He owned over 100 in his lifetime, most of them Fords.
In addition to his wife, daughter and son-in-law, Donald leaves behind to cherish his memory, his doting grandchildren, each of them sure that they are his #1, Shannon (Bobby) Marshall, Donna (Bernie) Carr, Jacqueline (Jason) Hazlett, and DJ, Caitlin and Erin Hughes; and his great-grandchildren, Hannah and Olivia Carr, Alyssa and Dalton Marshall and Emma Hazlett.
He also leaves behind a sister, Beverly (Ralph) McClellan of Ocala, Fla.; his sister-in-law, Cathy Hughes of the Villages, Fla.; two brothers, M. “Rudy” (Sue) Hughes of Oberlin, Ohio, and B. Richard (Glenda) Hughes of Uniontown, Pa.; his special friends that he considered family, Gary, Debbie and Melea Venturini of Freeport; and all of his wonderful friends at the Natrona Heights McDonald's, where he sat in the same booth for more than 30 years, every morning since retirement.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, Charles and Jerry Hughes; his sister, DeEtta Taylor; his son, Donald E. Hughes, who passed away in 2007; and his granddaughter, Alaina Dawn Schiebel, who passed away in 2001.
HUGHES — Due to the coronavirus, there will be no service at this time for Donald P. Hughes, who died Friday, March 27, 2020, but prayers for him, his family and our entire country would be appreciated.Fox Funeral Home, Saxonburg, is entrusted with the arrangements.Please visit www.foxfuneralhomeinc.com.