Carl Wayne Hughes

Carl “Wayne” Hughes was born on April 16, 1929, and passed away on June 8, 2025, at Labette County Medical Center. He went to Heaven at 7:40 am that Sunday morning.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, June 13, 2025, at the Thayer Christian Church. The family will greet visitors on Thursday, June 12, 2025, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., at the church. Memorials may be made to the ladies kitchen ministry at the church checks may be made payable to Thayer Christian Church with “Kitchen” in the memo line.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Alice (McNutt) in May 2011, his parents, Sam and Lula (McCormick) Hughes, and his siblings Gene, Homer, Sammy, David, Charles, and Patsy Ann.

Wayne graduated high school in 1949, Neodesha, KS, where he was a star athlete. After graduation, Wayne married Mary Alice McNutt on June 19, 1949, and they were married for 62 years.

They had four children; Bill (Linda) Hughes, Barbara (Charles) Wright, Virginia (Charles) Blackburn, and Nancy (Karl) Thornton, all of Thayer, KS; eleven grandchildren, thirty great-grandchildren, and fourteen great, great-grandchildren.

Wayne worked for Standard Oil Refinery from 1950 – 1970 in Neodesha, KS, was a Licensed plumber for many years at Thayer Farm and Ranch, in Thayer, KS, and Industrial Crating, in both Thayer, and St. Paul, KS. He was a certified EMT, and ran the Thayer Ambulance Service for several years, and was also a Hunter Safety Instructor for 4 years. Wayne served as the Mayor of the City of Thayer for 10 years, served on the City Council for many years, and initiated and finished the project for the new Thayer Lake named Reece-Hughes Thayer Lake 2.

After all this, he retired at the age of 86.

Wayne was a member of the Thayer Christian Church, and spent the majority of his life supporting Thayer, KS, in many aspects.

Through the years, Wayne enjoyed watching all his children in their sports activities and school programs.

He raised many vegetables in his garden, and most of all, enjoyed target practice, and going to the 100-Mile Garage Sale every year.

He loved hunting squirrels and rabbits, making his delicious biscuits and gravy, eating his fried squirrels and rabbits, and watching lots of Western movies on television.

Wayne was thankful for his wonderful neighbor, Leona Smedley, who always took time to care and come over to visit. She kept him supplied with chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin pies, and her yummy maple rings.

He also loved his dog and best buddy, Lady.

Wayne was a great man who will be dearly missed by all his family and friends. To leave a special message for the family please visit www.loranfawcettfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Loran Fawcett Chapel.