| Graduation Year | Class of 1960 |
| Date of Passing | Jun 20, 2021 |
| About | Life-long Yakima resident Nick Hughes passed away on Sunday, June 20th 2021, surrounded by his family. He was 79-years old. Nick was born to J.O. (Joe) and Viola E. Hughes (Hawley) in Yakima on December 17th, 1941. Growing up, he spent many weekends and holidays with his sisters and cousins playing in the woods and along the Naches River. These early adventures helped Nick develop a lifetime love of fishing, hunting, and the outdoors. He enjoyed camping and was a master camp chef. He later became an avid fly fisherman and loved nothing more than a long day on any river. Nick loved music. He and his sisters learned to sing from their parents. He would go on to become a working folk musician, playing in various groups and as a solo artist. During the Seattle World’s Fair in 1962, he worked in the Space Needle gift shop by day and played gigs in local joints by night. He was offered a major label recording contract but decided instead to come back to Yakima to help his dad with the family business. Throughout his life, Nick rarely attended an event or party without his guitar. He was active in the Yakima Folk Life festival both as an organizer and performer. Nick mostly worked in the hop business - first with his dad, and then with Von Horst Company before ultimately landing with Coors as their Hops Manager. Working for Coors allowed him to travel the world. He was great at selecting the best quality hops, but Nick was truly gifted at building relationships. Growers trusted him because he advocated for them. This culminated in a groundbreaking program that Nick developed for Coors to contract directly with hop growers, bypassing the traditional dealer network – an arrangement that was a win-win for both the brewery and the growers. After leaving Coors, Nick went on to help establish the American Hop Museum in Toppenish, WA where he also volunteered for the Toppenish Mural Society and helped design a downtown park. Nick had a lifelong love of wooden boats and spent many hours refurbishing and restoring them. One of his projects, a varnished mahogany fishing boat, won first prize at the Coeur d’ Alene Wooden Boat Show. To say that Nick was engaged in the discussion of community happenings would perhaps be an understatement. He was a prolific contributor to, well, pretty much any online discussion involving Yakima. He mostly, but not always, championed conservative positions. And he loved to stir the pot. Did he leave this earth still owing a few apologies? Probably, but there were no final words of contrition to report. The best we can do in that area is to say that his intentions were good and that anyone was welcome to join him on the front porch for a cigar and a glass of whisky. None of what was written above should outshine the simple fact that Nick was a great father. He and his former wife Dixie partnered to provide their sons with a nurturing home environment. Later in life, Nick would become a close mentor and father-figure to another family. He loved them like his own children and did his best to provide for them in the same way. His own courage was never more on display than when he made the decision to discontinue dialysis treatment – retaking control from the disease that had consumed his life for the past 10 years. When asked how he was doing during his last week, he said “I’m in the driver’s seat.” And so he was. Nick is survived by his family: Jeremy Hughes, Michelle Hughes, Lily Hughes, Brian Hughes, Kathy McNamara, Vicki Hale, & Candi Dahl – along with many beloved nieces and nephews. He is also survived by Donna Wilson, Cody Wilson, and Amanda Wilson. Nick hated funerals (“…too damned depressing!”), so his family will host an informal gathering on Saturday, July 3rd, 2021 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm at Single Hill Brewery for a toast and to share fond memories and stories. All who knew Nick are welcome to join us. Nick was a long-time supporter of St. Jude’s Hospital for children. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Jude’s in his memory and sent in care of Shaw & Sons Funeral Home (201 N 2nd St, Yakima, WA 98901) who is caring for the family. Arrangements are by Shaw & Sons Funeral Home, Yakima, 509-453-0331. Obituary will be posted if one is published. |
