Joseph William “Joe” Hughes, 87, Syracuse, passed away at 4:28 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7, 2016 at Goshen Hospital in Goshen. He was born July 6, 1929 in Syracuse to John P. and Valeria Lucille (Hopple) Hughes.

He was a lifetime Syracuse area resident and attended Syracuse High School. On Aug. 27, 1949 in Benton he married Ethel Mae Reed who survives. He was the owner/operator of Hughes Digging Service in Syracuse for 45 years and formerly worked at Syracuse Rubber.  He was a volunteer fireman for the Syracuse Fire Department for 54 years and formerly served as the fire chief.

He was a former member of the Eagles Aerie Lodge # 3760 in Syracuse, Commodore for the Wawasee Flotilla in 1989, and was named Kosciusko County Fireman of the Year in 1966. He formerly served as a board member for the Kosciusko County B.Z.A. and the Syracuse Town Board.

He is survived by his wife, Ethel Hughes, Syracuse; his son, Kirk (Makeda) Hughes, Fort Wayne; two daughters: Peggy (Brad) Schuldt, Culver; and Brenda Daugherty, Syracuse; nine grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren; a brother, Lamar (Caroline) Hughes, Temecula, Calif. also survives. 

He was preceded by his parents; five brothers: John, Jim, Harold “Jesse”, Richard, and Tom Hughes; three sisters: Hattie Adams, Betty Peterson, and Ruth “Kate” Rogers.

Cremation will take place at Cremation Services of Kosciusko County, 4356 N. St. Rd. 15, Warsaw. Visitation will be from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, at Owen Family Funeral Home, 1001 S. Huntington St., Syracuse. A private memorial for family will follow. Private family burial will take place at a later date.

Preferred memorial may be given to the Syracuse Fire Department, 8138 E. McClintic Rd., Syracuse, IN 46567. Goshen Home Care & Hospice, P.O. Box 723, Goshen, IN 46527. To send condolences to the family in Mr. Hughes’ memory please visit www.owenfamilyfuneralhome.com