Obituary -- John George Hughes

John George Hughes of Fallon, Nevada died of COPD and other health issues May 29, 2019 at Nathan Alden Hospice in Las Vegas, Nevada. John was born July 15, 1944 in Fullerton, California to Joseph McClay and Adelaide DelRisa Hughes. He grew up in the southern California cities of Fullerton, Compton, Santa Monica and Venice when kids could ride a bus to the beach for 15 cents. John joined the Navy at the tender age of 17 and went on to have an epic 22 year career. He was an Aviation Boatswains Mate (ABH), working as a Flight Deck Director on aircraft carriers and Fire Division Crew on smaller ships. “Join the Navy, See the World” applied to John’s career as he was stationed from Miramar, California to Norfolk,  Virginia; Great Lakes, Illinois to Sigonella, Sicily; and Fallon, Nevada to Whidbey Island, Washington. He also saw a lot of ocean with at least two WestPac and two Med Cruises, and duty along the Pacific coast to Alaskan waters, aboard many ships including the USS Yorktown, USS Juneau, USS Forrestal and USS Nimitz. He was an outstanding sailor with many commendations and awards, and was respected by officers and enlisted alike for his knowledge, skill and toughness. His Navy was a product of the times and reflected the turmoil in America in the 60’s, with racial tension, the Viet Nam War and social change. John rose through the ranks amidst all the conflicts and was always a leader in his environment. He retired as a Senior Chief at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington in 1982. After his Navy retirement, John returned to Fallon, Nevada with his wife Suzette and began a second career in 1985 at NAS Fallon Fire Department. There were long hours of standby in fire trucks watching planes touch and go on the runway, interspersed with moments of life threatening emergency. While far from the ocean, he grew to love the Nevada desert and appreciated the continued contact with the business of the Navy. He retired from the fire department in 2000. John’s favorite pastime from childhood beginning with his parents’ 1953 Cadillac convertible involved anything with an engine and wheels. If it had an engine and wheels, he could make it run, and if it ran, he could make it go fast, and if it went fast, he would race it. He became a fixture at Rattlesnake Raceway, first with a mini stockcar and later with sprint cars. He spent many weekends speeding around a dirt track or helping other racers with “set up” or as racetrack firecrew in Fallon and Fernley and sometimes in California. John will be held in loving memory by his wife of 44 years, Suzette (Broyles),  his daughter Debi Russell (Chris), granddaughter Dr. Jaclyn Omura (Dr. Travis Omura), great-granddaughter Emerson Mae Omura, granddaughter Dr. Danielle Calahan  (Michael), great-grandson Jack Joseph Calahan; son, John H. Hughes (Mena), grandson Ezekial Reef, granddaughter  True Reign; brothers:  Mike Hughes, his three children and their families; Jim Hughes, wife Dee, their four children and families,  and John's mother-in-law and father-in-law Jeanne and Bob Ansotequi, sister-in-law Lynn Broyles, nephews Tyler and Trever Detomasi,  brother-in-law Sam Broyles Jr. and wife Catherine . At a later date, a celebration of life will be scheduled at the Veteran’s Cemetery.     Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.