John W. Hughes, 71, Chicago, Illinois passed away Apr 7, 2022 .
He was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 9, 1951 to Robert and Irene Hughes.
He is preceded in death by his parents Robert and Irene Hughes and sister Kathleen Hughes.
Surviving family includes a loving wife of 49 years Emily Hughes, sister Jessica Hughes,
children Travers Hughes, Lindsey Musick, Hillary Carnell (Anthony), and grandchildren Taylor
and Tanner Hughes, Moriah, Lottie, and Hosea Musick, Chloe and Charley Carnell.
He grew up in Chicago and was an avid Bears and Cubs fan. He attended Miami University
where he developed a strong interest in city planning and community mental health. He also
met and married the love of his life, Emily there. He graduated with a BA in Education with a
focus on History. From there he moved to Boulder, Colorado where he worked at a long term
treatment center for girls. He eventually moved back to Ohio and settled in Columbus where he
worked briefly at Huckleberry House and then Concord Counseling in Westerville where he
became Director. John completed his Master's Degree in Criminal Justice through Xavier
University. The bulk of his career in community health was spent at Netcare as Chief Financial
and Compliance Officer for 28 years. One of his most meaningful jobs post career was his work
with Street Speech, a non-profit organization serving the homeless where he was affectionately
known as "Friar Tuck" by the precious people he served.
John loved Jesus and played an important role in the growth and development of Northside
Fellowship, serving on their first Elder board and in subsequent years as Elder and Deacon. He
loved teaching children the Bible, but his unique call was expressed in teaching on Israel and
the plight of the Jewish people throughout history. He shared his passion and wisdom through
classes and facilitating trips to Israel.
His greatest love in life was his family. He enjoyed creating memories for them and supporting
their goals and passions. From the soccer field to the theater, he was the first one to show up
and cheer on his "tribe." He celebrated every achievement enthusiastically and made each of
us feel special and deeply loved.
A Celebration of John's life will be held at Northside Fellowship Church in Westerville on April
23rd beginning at 4:00 P.M. followed by food and fellowship. In lieu of flowers, contributions can
be made to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews on behalf of John.
https://www.ifcj.org/ways-to-give or by mail at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
P.O. Box 97339 Washington DC 20077