Ronald Dean Hughes Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Ronald Dean Hughes was born May 16, 1957 in Des Moines, Iowa the son of Dale and Betty (Hendrix) Hughes. Growing up, Ron lived in many places due to his father’s business, as a grain elevator contractor. This could have been the foundation for Ron’s love of travel and adventure. As a young boy, Ron vacationed with his parents and his brothers: Keith, John, Tim and Dave. One of Ron’s favorite spots was Lake of the Ozarks. He loved this area and his dream was to retire there. Ron graduated from Knoxville High School in 1975 and then attended Drury College in Springfield, MO for a brief time. A serious auto accident caused Ron to put off completing college. He was employed at Rolscreen/Pella Corp for over 30 years prior to retirement. Ron had a love of cars and motorcycles. He was a “Harley Man” early on and even brought his bike into the house for winter storage. Ron loved to travel and his trips often included sprint car racing (his second love). He was a passionate Hawkeye fan and at one time was even a season ticket holder. He would travel to the Chili Bowl in Oklahoma with his friend Jim or go to another sprint car track just to say he’d been there. Ron graduated from DMACC in 2017 with a degree in photography. He loved taking pictures and even won 1st place in the Marion County Assessors photo contest (an achievement he was proud of). Ron was a loving son, brother, uncle and friend. He loved holidays and family time, whether it was traveling to the campground or going to his parents for dinner. Ron passed away Monday, July 16, 2018 at the Knoxville Hospital & Clinics with his family by his side. He was preceded in death by his father, Dale Hughes. He is survived by his mother, Betty; brothers: Keith (Denise) Hughes, John (Lisa Lee) Hughes, Tim (Kris) Hughes and Dave (Jenny) Hughes; nieces, nephews and many close friends. Funeral Services for Ron Hughes, age 61 of Knoxville, will be held on Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at Bybee & Davis Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Greenwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday at the Bybee & Davis Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum.

Ronald Dean Hughes

May 16, 1957 - July 16, 2018