John Hough

It is with great sadness and no small measure of relief that we inform our community of friends and family that John Benjamin Hough died in his home on December 11, 2019 from pancreatic cancer. It was a mercifully quick decline with very little pain or drama, exactly as he wished, and exactly where he wished to be. We have no doubt that he rests in peace.

As many of you know, both John’s life and our family’s close relationship was quite complex, but we have always been rooted in a solid foundation of tenacious love and care. John’s story is unique, and the bulk of it is divided into two chapters.

From early adulthood to middle-age, he was Baptist minister. He was widely-known and loved by scores of people throughout the region. In every community he served, he formed lasting personal relationships with the people therein. And while he had strong opinions on most every distinction that highlights our differences, he always met people with genuine love, compassion, and care.

In 2000, John suffered a heart attack which resulted in a serious brain injury, his second chapter began, and his children and their spouses -- Chris and Tiffany, Nathan and Crystal -- began a bizarre new chapter of their lives. Over the course of several years, he had to relearn literally everything, from simple skills like eating, walking, and talking to the more difficult tasks of reintegrating into everyday life.

Our family dynamic shifted to include constant caregiving, and that task that we had generally assumed as nearing completion took on a new urgency and weighty responsibility with John’s wife Lynn developing and ultimately dying to cancer in 2005 and Lynn’s mother’s passing in 2016. During this time, John formed new relationships with his community, reconfigured his old relationships, and ministered to those around him in simpler ways – through conversations, music, and devotionals at the local men’s shelter. He often regretted the burden he felt he placed on the family along with being left alive without his wife, but he always moved forward with the work that was in front of him despite that internal frustration. He maintained an attitude of faithful service to the very end.

While this is obviously a heavily abridged version of whole story, it ends with this: Through it all, and most importantly in our experience, John was a legitimately good man. He was good father. He was a good husband. He was genuine and true. And however you frame eternity, his legacy is one of earnest love.

As with any abridged story, there are countless characters who have been left out of the telling, but we want to highlight a few who have been crucial throughout his life. To Connor, Maggie, Molly, and Ollie, his beloved grandchildren who were able to spend many special hours with their “Papa Bear;” to Deb, for countless hours of backup, meals, prayers, and other expressions of love; to Suzan, a loved weekly companion who provided respite for our family and a wonderful friend for John; to his Sunday School class at First Baptist and the staff and members there for being his church family; to the Godwin family for backing us up regardless of imposition with food and labor; to the Christ Anglican family for adopting him as one of their own; to Marcus and Chanan and the Emmons kids for their love and support; to the Senior Community Band and Allen for providing an outlet for him to play music again; to Larry for always checking in; to John and Steve in Magnolia, for your trips to visit him, and for your gratitude toward and support of our family; to Samaritan Ministries for ministering to him as he ministered to others; to Jack and Karen, Bob and Judy, old friends from his first church who kept up with our family and provided unbelievable support during traumatic times; to Bawden, Webb, Megan, Butch, Cori, Brent, Leigh Anne, Beck, Katie, and all of our closest friends, for giving us space to laugh or cry or rage against the pressure of it all; to these and many, many others who have been such integral players in John’s story, thank you for caring for him. Thank you for caring for us. We love you.

John’s memorial service will be held Monday, December 16th at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Hot Springs.

A reception will be held immediately after at Christ Anglican Church, also in Hot Springs.

For those looking to bring food or beverage to the reception, please contact Chanan Emmons at 501-326-8614.

For those who would like donate or contribute something in John’s honor, the family asks that you consider the Garland County Public Library, Samaritan Ministries, or the cancer support group of your choice.