Robert Hughes

Hughes, Robert F. "Bob" 3/12/1947 - 11/27/2020 Hickory Corners, Michigan Robert F. "Bob" Hughes, age 73, of Hickory Corners, sadly passed away Friday morning, November 27, 2020 at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born in Plainwell, Michigan on March 12, 1947, the son of Rankin and Inez (Rowe) Hughes and graduated from Delton Kellogg High School. Bob faithfully served his country in Vietnam as a member of the United States Army. He worked as a mechanic for Don Seelye Ford for more than 26 years, and after he owned & operated J & J Locksmiths for over 26 years with his family. Bob married the "Love of His Life" Helen McAllan in Delton, Michigan on September 22, 1973; she survives. He is also survived by his sons, Gregory (Bobbie) Hughes of Richland and Christopher (Erin) Hughes of Galesburg; his two grandchildren, Avery and Charlie; and his sister, Sandra (Ron) Plooy of Macomb, Michigan. Bob was preceded in death by his parents. After his retirement, Bob loved to go back to the shop weekly and see his former employees. Sometimes the employees at the shop left hard lock jobs and Bob would tinker on them for hours. Yearly, he looked forward to driving down to Florida to escape the Michigan winters, where Bob and Helen spent at least 5 months per year. Their residence was a mile from the ocean which made time for frequent walks on the beach. Bob was a member of the Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) and the American Legion & VFW posts in Largo, Florida. He had a Superformance Shelby Cobra sport car which was utilized for cruising, attending car shows, and going out to dinner. He loved to polish, tinker, and get the Cobra in pristine condition before car shows, of which he won many trophies. His car made the front page in the local paper during one of these car shows. For many years, the family sailed together on Lake Michigan, that prompted them to move to Gull Lake. As Bob lived on a lake, some of his favorite things to do were boating, sailing, and fishing. He also enjoyed watching TV, especially old movies & westerns, going out to eat with his friends, and spending time with his family. Due to current government regulations a memorial service to celebrate Bob's life will be held at the Fort Custer National Cemetery when it is safe to gather again. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in memory of Bob to the Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes Food Bank. Arrangements by the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, Richland Chapel. Personal messages for the family and/or favorite memories of Bob may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.