Retired NRHS art teacher
WILMINGTON — Francis E. Hughes, a longtime Wilmington resident, passed away suddenly on Sept. 23, 2014 at 81 years. He was the beloved husband of Maureen F. (Healy) and together they shared 59 years of marriage. Born in Newburyport, he was the son of the late William S. and Lucretia M. (Fowler) Hughes.
Francis was a proud United States Navy veteran of the Korean War and honorably served as a radar man aboard the USS Irwin, DD-794. He was a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art and was a teacher of art at North Reading High School for 35 years where he retired as the Director of the Art Department. Francis was a talented artist working with oil paints and pencil drawings. He was an avid gardener, collector of comic books, he loved animals, raising his own chickens and was always bringing home stray animals over the years.
Francis is survived by his devoted children, Shirley–Ann Bradley and her husband John of Andover, Erin Korbak and her husband Bill of Wilmington and Sandra Petrosius and her husband Steven of Goshen, Ky. He was the loving grandfather of Robert and James Bradley, Nicholas and Timothy Petrosius. He was the loving father–in–law of the late John J. Petrosius and the brother of William S. Hughes of Jacksonville, Fla., Raymond C. Hughes of Newburyport and the late Marjorie Woodbury and Milton C. Hughes. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held from the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 374 Main St., Wilmington, Saturday, Sept. 27, followed by a funeral Mass celebrated in St. Dorothy Church, Main Street, Wilmington. Relatives and friends were respectfully invited to attend and gather for visiting hours at the Dello Russo Funeral Home. Services concluded with military honors and burial at Wildwood Cemetery, Wilmington. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Francis’ memory to the St. Joseph Indian School, P.O. BOX 326, Chamberlain SD 57326. To leave an online message of condolence, visit www.dellorusso.net.
