Leo Martin Hughes, Jr.

Leo Martin (Newk) Hughes, Jr, 94, passed away on May 2, 2010. He was born on April 12, 1916 in Jacksonville, Florida to Beatrice (Miner) and Leo M. Hughes. He lived his life to the fullest, never met a stranger and has departed this earth doing what he loved most, sharing funny stories with newly made friends.

He graduated from Jacksonville’s Lee High School and was an Eagle Scout. He served in the U. S. Army from 1941-1945, in the famed “Hell on Wheels” 2nd Armored Division commanded by Gen George Patton. He was part of the invasion of North Africa (November 1942) and was among the Americans selected to enter Berlin on July 4th, 1945. On July 12, he was selected to attend the Sorbonne University in Paris. The next morning, having awakened in a spotless room, in a clean bed with sheets and pillows, an ample supply of warm water, he said “Hughes, this war is over for you”. He returned to the U.S in October 1945 only to learn that his only brother, Jack, had just been killed in a military aircraft accident near Kings Bay, Ga.

During his real estate career, he was associated with Stockton Whatley Davin and was the Real Estate Sales Manager for Bisbee-Baldwin and Charles E. Commander & Co. Subsequently he established his own real estate firm, which continued until his retirement in the 1990s.

He traveled the world often. As a teenager, he spent a month on a coastal tug boat. He returned from a trip to Cuba the day before it fell to Castro. He traveled and wrote extensively for family and friends about South Africa, the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, the Balkans, and Greece. He re-traced his World War II days, visiting Normandy, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. He made multiple trips to Ireland, his favorite destination. In 1980 he took a trip around the world (“do it”) and later went to Iceland for New Years (“don’t do it”).

He was a man of great faith and proud of his Catholic heritage. He spoke often of his faith and his certainty of rejoining in Heaven his beloved family. He was pre-deceased by his Father (1958) and Mother (1969), brother, Jack (1945) and sister, Margaret Harrell (2002).

He is remembered by his special friend, Diana “DeeDee” Butts, who so enriched his later years. He is survived by his brother’s son, J. Michael Hughes (Ellen) and his sister’s family, D. Martin Harrell (Virginia Albey); Dr. James E. Harrell (Gayle); John N. Harrell (Sue); Mary Jane McKnight (Larry) and William H. Harrell (Barbara) as well as grand nephews and nieces Locke Hughes, David Harrell, Susan Corby (Jeremy), Stephanie Johnson (Adam), Jennifer Sobanet (Henry), James Harrell, Jr. (Ginny), Melinda Johnson (Gary), Amy Deering (Christopher), Katy Harrell, Benjamin Harrell (Gina), Cathy Naaman (Patrick), Robin McKnight (Jon Reuter), Nancy McKnight (Tim Lum), William Harrell, Jr. (Marie), Christopher Harrell(Sarane) and Martin Harrell (Ann), their twenty-three children and a cousin, William Harrell of Crete, IL.

The family will receive friends at the Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 4115 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, Fl from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4th. Following a private family burial service at Evergreen Cemetery, a Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 5th at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 2609 Park Street, Jacksonville, Florida, 32204 (where he had been an acolyte in his youth). A reception at the Church’s Social Hall will follow the Memorial Mass.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances of him may be made to St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 2609 Park Street, Jacksonville, Fl 32204 or the church or charity of your choice.