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William (Willy) Hughes
On July 16, 2026, Willy Hughes unexpectedly passed away from a pulmonary embolism while on a road trip with his wife and children.
Willy was born July 24, 1969, the week of the Apollo moon landing, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at F.E. Warren Air Force Base. Back then, every Air Force wife joked that her job was to have two children in four years at government expense. Willy's birth cost $5.25, and his sister's cost only $3.75.
Willy was so cute, we were followed around the grocery store. Our one video was Willy jumping in mud puddles at Cribbon Ave. Trailer Park with the biggest grin of delight.
When Willy was almost four, we returned to property west of McMinnville, Oregon. We built a mountain house, and you would often find two kids running up and down drainfield lines that we dug by hand to avoid having trees cut down. We built a tennis court, and he learned to play.
He attended “Country School” preschool down the road. He started school at Newby. In first grade, the teacher explained the class was too large and asked for volunteers to transfer. Willy said, “I will.” When he was10, we moved to West 12th Street, just blocks from Memorial. Willy had a News-Register paper route and made "Carrier of the Month” several times. He organized the neighborhood kids and created “Arbodome”: a Wiffle ball court creating bare grass spots in the front yard, and no popsicles left in the freezer.
Willy attended McMinnville Junior High and then went on to Mac High. He had a little red scooter and then a hand-me-down red Datsun truck named Flash. Once, during “Spirit Days,” he dressed as Bhagwan Rajneesh and paraded through downtown with classmates following him.
Willy was our rock. Like his dad, he could do almost anything or figure it out. He was humble. His cup was always more than half full, willing to share with all around.
He hated tomatoes, loved tuna fish, and loved Ranch dressing before it was cool! He started the fad of mismatched socks.
He played varsity tennis, often giving me “the eye,” and I knew it meant concentrating on his opponent double-faulting. He was Prom King and first in the Class of 1987.
During summers, he worked with me at Hazelwood Farms Bakery. He mixed bread dough in 2,000 lb. batches and could tie knot rolls with amazing speed.
He received his BA in math at Linfield, and his master's degree in Christian Education at Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He was hired as the youth pastor at Madras First Baptist. There, he carved me a fine goose with the tribe ladies. Once while taking youth to camp, he came back to a divided church and no job.
Next came Vine Street Baptist in Roseburg. He coached the Roseburg High School tennis team and taught math at Umpqua Community College. He met the family of his future wife.
After developing online math classes for UCC, he moved and continued to teach in Beaverton while also serving as youth pastor at Beaverton First Baptist.
He married the love of his life. They bought a home and started a family. They have one daughter (17) and one son (15). Willy was a totally involved dad with many seasons of volunteer coaching and bleacher sitting.
He ran the Portland Marathon once and won a medallion and a fir seedling, which is now 30 feet tall. He lived life to the fullest with many family adventures. He explored family roots in Germany and Switzerland, finding relatives in Pontenet. A friendly welcome included a school recital and champagne brunch. He and his family went to see dog sled races in Anchorage, because his son was studying the Iditarod in class.
He loved cruises, camping, and lots of trips to the family farm with grandma’s egg hunts and pumpkin rolling down the big hill after Thanksgiving dinner.
Willy saw six continents, with plans to visit Antarctica for his son’s high school graduation.
Willy got his Ph.D. in Emerging Studies in Boston. His classmates admitted they could have never succeeded without Willy’s help and encouragement.
When Willy was 10, he accepted Jesus at Valley Baptist Church. His mom got goosebumps and prayed to God to have that same feeling when others came to Jesus.
We are thankful Willy is in Heaven now. I have beautiful memories to remind me of him until we meet again.
Find Jesus Today.
Love, Mom
Willy is survived by his wife and their two children of Beaverton; his mother, Mary Lou Boyer Hughes of McMinnville; his father, Dave Hughes of Gold Hill; and his sister, Mindy Wallace of McMinnville.
A celebration of life for Willy will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Southwest Bible Church, 14605 S.W. Weir Road, Beaverton, Oregon.
Donations may be made to support Willy’s children’s college education through “Gift of College.”
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