BJames “Jimmy” E. Hughes, a Leflore County native and World War II veteran, was known for being generous to his country, his community and his friends.
Mr. Hughes, 93, died Tuesday at Golden Age Nursing Home. Graveside services with full military honors — performed by American Legion Post 29 — will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Odd Fellows Cemetery.
Post 29 Commander Johnny Favara said Mr. Hughes was a cornerstone of the post. “He helped me organize the honor guard,” Favara said.
Mr. Hughes was an employee of BFMW Group of Greenwood, serving there until he was in his 80s.
“I think he represented the greatest generation,” Favara said. “He stayed involved in the community and in his church. That was the way it was right up until the end.”
Mr. Hughes’ passion for honoring the fallen veterans was infectious, Favara said: “When you work with someone that’s very enthusiastic, it rubs off on everybody.”
Dale Persons, a fellow member of the Post 29 honor guard, said Mr. Hughes was a gentleman.
“Since I’ve been in the South, I’ve met a lot of really fine people,” Persons said. “Jimmy was one of them.”
Greenwood attorney Johnny Henson, who at one time attended First Baptist Church with Mr. Hughes, described him as a fine man and a good storyteller.
“He was just the most faithful, dedicated person I’ve ever known,” Henson said.
Mr. Hughes was close friends with Henson’s father-in-law, Billy Woodell, another member of First Baptist, Henson said.
Henson said Mr. Hughes represented those from the “stable generation” who had come through the hardships of the Depression and had gone on to serve the country selflessly in World War II.
Mr. Hughes was born in Shellmound on Dec. 23, 1923, to Gertrude Johnson Hughes and W.D. Hughes. He graduated from Greenwood High School in 1941 and was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1943.
He was inducted at Camp Shelby and trained at Fort McKinley, Texas. He was assigned to the 700th EPD Co., where he served as a medic.
Mr. Hughes served two years during the China/Burma campaign, where his engineering unit laid aviation fuel pipelines, which permitted Allied planes to fly from India to Burma.
Once he returned stateside, he earned a degree in business management from Mississippi State University. Around that time, he met Margaret Olen Woods of Coila. They married in May 1952.
Upon graduation, Mr. Hughes worked a credit manager for B.F. Goodrich Tire and the Butane Gas Co. of Greenwood. He continued his career at the accounting firm of Walker. Middleton, Tucker & Armstrong, which later became BFMW Group.
He was an active member of First Baptist Church, where he served as deacon for many years and taught Sunday School until he was physically unable to do so.
He enjoyed talking about his World War II experiences at local schools’ Veterans Day programs, adding that it was important to hear the stories firsthand.
Mr. Hughes is survived by his wife; two sons, James E. “Jimmy” Hughes Jr. of Hattiesburg, and Robert C. “Bobby” Hughes of St. Louis, Missouri; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. today at Greenwood Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to American Legion Post 29 or the First Baptist Church of Greenwood, 500 W. Washington St., Greenwood, MS 38930.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
