Obituary of Ronald L. Hughes

Ronald L. Hughes, 76, of Halifax, passed away peacefully on April 15, 2010 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was the beloved husband of Pauline (Mello) Hughes of Halifax; father to Jonathan Hughes and his wife Corrie (Niro) Hughes of Bridgewater; grandfather to Lillian Hughes of Bridgewater; and brother-in-law, uncle and great uncle to many. Ron was born in Brockton, the son of Hosea Hughes and Alice (Hogan) Hughes; and brother to Doris (Hughes) Farris. He spent his childhood in both Massachusetts and Florida. Ron was a graduate of Thayer Academy and Stone Hill College, where he was a member of the collegiate boxing team. Ron proudly served in the United States Army during the Korean War. After serving in the Army, he began a long career with the United States Postal Service. During the Vietnam War, he volunteered for military service and served honorably in active duty as a Navy Corpsman attached to the Third Marine Division. Upon discharge, he returned to his career with the Postal Service where he became active in union politics with the National Association of Letter Carriers. Ron held numerous elected positions within the union, including President of the NALC Branch-34 Boston and National Assistant Secretary Treasurer and Trustee. He was highly regarded for his efforts to resolve labor grievances and his tireless advocacy on behalf of letter carriers. Ron was a lifelong Boston sports fan. He was an avid long distance runner and completed the Boston Marathon in a time of two hours and fifty-one minutes. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, reading, politics and the outdoors. He was exceptionally kind, sincere and eternally optimistic. He admirably fought his battle with Alzheimer’s disease with dignity and grace. Visiting hours will be held on Friday, April 23rd from 8:30 - 10:00AM at the Shepherd Funeral Home, 216 Main St (Rt. 106) Kingston, with a service to follow at 10:00AM. Internment will be at the MA National Cemetery in Bourne at 11:30AM. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ron’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011 or www.alz.org.