Ronald "Ron" Frederick Hughes

ronald

March 24, 1945 ~ May 11, 2025

Born in: Chicago, Illinois
Resided in: Thornton, Colorado

Ronald “Ron” Frederick Hughes, 80, of Thornton, CO, passed away on May 11, 2025, after a life filled with laughter, a touch of stubbornness, and an immense love for his family. Born on March 24, 1945, in Chicago, IL, Ron’s vibrant spirit will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Ron was a devoted husband to his beloved wife, Mary Hughes (née Vaughn). He was a proud and loving father to his four children: Kevin (Jennifer) Hughes, Heather (Daniel) Lewis, Rebecca (Jeremiah) Ludemann, and Brett (Jennifer) Hughes. He cherished his role as Poppy/Grandpa to his eight grandchildren: Haley Lewis, Eric Lewis, Andy Lewis, Lillian Hughes, Avery Ludemann, Sadie Hughes, Emma Ludemann, and Rosalie Hughes. Each of them brought immense joy to his life. He is also survived by his sister, Patricia (Robert) Yamada. Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and Frederick Hughes.

Ron was a proud alumnus of Fenwick High School and Loyola University. He dedicated many years to the banking industry, eventually retiring from JPMorgan Chase at the age of 60. He enjoyed 20 years of retirement, playing golf and celebrating happy hour with family and friends, while living in Arizona and Colorado.

Known for his quick wit and sometimes a “healthy” dose of stubbornness, Ron’s greatest passion was his family. He loved nothing more than being surrounded by them, sharing stories, and perhaps a few beers. A lifelong, die-hard Chicago Cubs fan, he enjoyed playing golf, reading, sitting around the “Round Table” with his “Duffer” golf group after playing 9 holes, and cheering on his Chicago sports teams. Ron took immense pride in his yard and cars, ensuring the grass was always finely cut and the cars washed and waxed.  Though he loved being outside, he famously waged his yearly “battle of the snow” and “battle of the leaves,” which, much to his chagrin, always put a damper on maintaining his perfect yard. His laughter was infectious, his Donald Duck birthday calls infamous, and his presence could light up a room.

In lieu of a formal service, a celebration of Ron’s life will be held at a future date in Chicago, true to his wishes for something less formal and more focused on joyful remembrance. For those wishing to make a gesture in Ron’s memory, the family kindly requests that donations be made in his name to the American Cancer Society.

Ron will be remembered for his trademark meticulous nature, dedication to his family (and his yard!), and the countless memories he created with them. Ron, a caring husband, loving Dad, and cherished Poppy/Grandpa will be greatly missed by all.

“May the road rise to meet you, and the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rains fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you gently in the palm of His hand.” – Irish Blessing

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  1. Aunt Mary,

    I’m so terribly sorry to hear about Uncle Ron’s passing. My heart sunk as soon as I saw the news. Please let me know of when and where the funeral/wake/etc. will take place. So much love to you and the family. I’m so, terribly, terribly sorry for your loss.

  2. Mary, I’m so sorry that you had to say goodbye to Ron. He was a great guy, husband, dad, poppy, and father-in-law.

  3. Mary, please accept our sincere condolences about the loss of Ron. May you find comfort in the loving memories you shared with him. You’re in our thoughts and prayers. Marietta and Jeff.

  4. He will be greatly missed but will always be remembered around that duffer table. Sherry and Ron

  5. I loved Ron, like a brother. We grew up together in Bellwood and met when my family and I moved from London, UK to Chicago. We lived next door to each other, and as kids we were always together, along with my brother Ian (who died two years ago) and our close friend down the street, Joe Cosenza (who passed two months ago). If we ever had disagreements it was over Ron backing the Cubs, as opposed to my enthusiasm for the south side White Sox. We fell somewhat out of touch when I attended a public high school, Proviso West, and Ron traveled to the city to attend Fenwick. Ron then attended Loyola, while I enrolled at Kent State in Ohio. But we stayed in touch and loved talking sports, and at times, politics, while always reminiscing about growing up together. I recall that one day, we were 16-17 and decent athletes, Ron’s dad, Fred, who could be tough and demanding, sat us down and said that his 16 inch softball team had lost several players and he wanted us to be subs on the team. And being a Marine earlier in his life, laid down the law on how we were to conduct ourselves and how he expected us to significantly contribute to his team’s win. Not too much pressure. But we did Fred proud and made him happy. Through the years, as Ron and Joe stayed close to home, I traveled different paths, to Toronto and the Pacific NW. But Donna and I traveled back to Chitown to visit my Mum, Dad and brother, and we’d often all get together in the loop to refresh our heart felt friendships. I last talked with Ron and Mary, perhaps 4-6 months ago. As always, Ron and I went on and on chatting about sports, and bemoaning the continued downward spiral of the Bears, Cubs and White Sox. I’ll dearly miss those occasional calls, which always reminded me where I came from and whom I grew up with. Ron was a stand-up bloke, intelligent, funny, caring and loyal. Losing him, Joe and my brother, within such a short time frame, is devastating. Ron will always stay close to my heart. As the renowned Spanish poet and playwright, Garcia-Lorca once said: Life is essentially composed of memories and loss. The loss of Ron from my life exceptionally painful. But, thankfully, I have a plethora of memories of Ron to ease the pain. I send my deepest condolences to Mary, Patsy and all of his family and friends. Our lives have been diminished by his death.

    Peter Harris


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