Ben Hughes

Benjamin “Ben” Franklin Hughes, Jr., was born June 12, 1930, to Blondell Wilson Hughes and Benjamin Franklin Hughes, Sr., in Bon Wier, Texas, in Newton County. He passed from this life peacefully on the afternoon of March 27, 2019, at the age of 88.

Ben grew up in a family of seven children in Bon Wier and learned about hard work and thriftiness from a very early age. His mother and father both worked in the large garden, and being the oldest son, he was plowing behind a horse at the age of six. He also split firewood and stovewood, and hunted and trapped in the woods. He enjoyed fishing in Caney and Quicksand Creeks and in the Sabine River.

At the age of 15, he was saved in revival services at Bon Wier Pentecostal Church, and was baptized in Caney Creek. From that day in 1945, he was a faithful and active member of the Apostolic Pentecostal faith.

Graduating from high school in 1948, he moved to Beaumont to seek employment. Moving in with a friend, James Stark, in a rooming house on a Sunday afternoon, he went to church that night at First Pentecostal Church on Pope Street in North Beaumont. That night he met a special young lady named Mary Ellen George. She asked him if he was “going to be around for a while.” He did stay around for a while, marrying Mary Ellen on September 22, 1950. At that time, he was working for Vondersmith Office and School Supply in downtown Beaumont. In November, 1951, their first child, Randy, was born. Other children followed…Carlos, Melanie, Eric, and Julie Cherie. Ben always viewed his children as “his kids”, helping them on their projects, assisting in any way he could.

In 1956, he went to work for DuPont Beaumont Works and worked there until 1993. He worked in Safety and Security, which at that time was a division of Employee Relations. Ben was widely respected as a conscientious worker and a friend to many. In his twenty-six years of retirement he enjoyed working in his yard, serving as an usher at church, working at the church Food Pantry, and enjoyed the company of his family and friends on Hughes Hill. The home of Ben and Mary Ellen Hughes is known as the Hitching Post to the family, as it is a hub for all the family gatherings.

Ben seemed to have every piece of hardware and small hand tool known and could almost always match any odd screw or bolt that anyone needed.

Ben was a member of First Pentecostal Church/New Life Tabernacle from 1948 to 2007. At that time he and Mary Ellen became members of The Apostolic Church and they were faithful attendees and loved the Word of God and attending church each time the doors were open.

Ben is preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, Delores Hughes Slay, Beatrice Hughes Downing Moye, and Wayne Hughes.

Ben is survived by his loving wife of sixty-eight years, Mary Ellen George Hughes, sons, Randall Hughes (Karen), Carlos Hughes (Karen), Eric Hughes (Rachal), daughters, Melanie Hughes Williams, and Julie Cherie Calice (John), grandchildren, Scott Hughes (Erica), Amber Hughes Landry (Shane), Lauren Hughes Sartin (Justin), Amanda Jones (Jeffrey), great-grandchildren, Kenadie Brownlee, Eva Landry, Colt Landry, Jackson Sartin and Sophie Sartin, Seth Hughes, Jensen Rutledge, Kason Rutledge, Julian Jones, sisters, Yvonne Hughes Hall (Wayne), Delma Hughes Eaves (Robert), and brother, Wilson Hughes (Nelda), many nieces and nephews, and a host of friends; and too many adoptive kiddos to list.

A gathering of Ben’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday, March 29, 2019, at The Apostolic Church, 3333 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont. His funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 30, 2019, at The Apostolic Church, Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. Graveside rites will follow at 2:00 p.m., at Hughes Cemetery at Fawil, Texas (near Bon Wier).

Ben and Mary Hughes have helped others monetarily and in many special ways though the years. If you would like to honor them by being a part of their continuing ministry, in lieu of flowers, contribute to the non-profit Mary Ellen and Ben Hughes Helping Others Fund at any DuGood Federal Credit Union.

Well done….thou good and faithful servant.