Father Robert Thomas Hughes

Father Robert Thomas Hughes, 93, of Eureka, IL died at 11:35pm on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2016 at OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home in Peoria, IL. His funeral Mass will take place at 11:00am, Thursday, January 5, 2017 at St. Monica’s Church, 303 Campanile Dr., East Peoria, IL. Msgr. Paul Showalter, P.A., Vicar General will preside as prinicipal con-celebrant. Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C., D.D. will assist “in choro.” A wake will be held from 5-7:00pm on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at Deiters Funeral Home & Crematory, 2075 Washington Rd., Washington, IL, with a rosary at 7:00pm. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery, 421 N. Sterling Ave., Peoria, IL, at 1:30pm, Thursday, January 5, 2017. Fr. Robert Hughes was born on August 23, 1923 in Chicago, IL, the child of Thomas P. and Anna C. Gregory (Grzegozewski) Hughes. He served in the Navy Air Corp from December 24, 1942-September 2, 1943, and in the Army Air Corp from December 7, 1943-November 22, 1945. He attained the rank of 2nd Lt. Air Corp, USA. He logged in 150 hours as a navigator and 135 hours as a pilot. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Civil Engineering from the Special Services for war veterans on June 12, 1949. He also earned a B.A. degree from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, IA on June 4, 1950, and completed his theological training at the St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, MN in 1954. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria, IL on June 6, 1954. He served as an assistant at Holy Trinity Church in Bloomington, IL from 1954-1962 under Msgr. Bernard Sheedy, whom he idolized. He also served as Athletic Director at Trinity High School in Bloomington, and built the first athletic field for the high school on Rt. 9 near the county fairgrounds. He was in Youth Ministry at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria, IL from 1962-1965. He was then assigned to Normal, IL from 1965-1971 to begin construction of the first Newman Center at Illinois State University. He was made pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Washington, IL in 1971. He served the people of St. Patrick for 22 years, retiring in 1993. During this time, he retired a parish debt, financed additions and renovations of the parish school, and established the parish of St. Luke in Eureka, IL, where he lived retirement since 1993. He is survived by his niece, Deborah (George) Hunt of Reno, NV; nephews, Thomas P. Hughes of Reno, NV, Rick Hughes of Sevierville, TN, and Thomas A. Hughes of Chicago, IL. He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, and a nephew, Robert. In lieu of flowers, stipends for Masses may be sent to the following churches at Fr. Hughes’ request: Holy Trinity 711 N. Main St., Bloomington, IL 61701; St. Mary’s Cathedral 607 NE Madison Ave., Peoria, IL 61603; St. John Paul II Catholic Newman Center 501 S. Main St., Normal, IL 61761; St. PatrickChurch 705 E. Jefferson, Washington, IL 61571; or St. Luke Parish 904 E. Reagan Dr., PO Box 226, Eureka, IL 61530.

Father Robert Thomas Hughes

August 23, 1923 - December 31, 2016