Paul H Hughes

Paul Henry Hughes, 87 of Farragut, TN, went to be with the Lord on August 27, 2025. Born in 1938 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Paul was the son of Henry and Grace (Monahan) Hughes. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts Boston and a Master of Education from Bridgewater State University. Paul led a distinguished and varied career. He played baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies AA farm team, then became a high school history teacher at Oliver Ames High School in Easton, MA where he also served as the Varsity Baseball Coach. In 1974 he was named the "Educator of the Year" for Easton Public Schools. Following his career in education, Paul used his teaching experience to become a Training Developer at Stone & Webster Engineering in Boston, MA, before moving to the Tennessee Valley Authority, ultimately retiring as the Training Manager of the Research Reactor Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in 2006. His lifelong love of baseball brought him much recognition, including 13 Major League Baseball contract offers and becoming a two-time inductee into the University of Massachusetts Athletics Hall of Fame. Beyond sports, Paul proudly served in the Massachusetts Army National Guard and was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion. A devout Catholic, Paul's greatest joy was his family. He was a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan, a leader, and a family man who lived his faith in quiet strength and devotion. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Grace Hughes, and his brothers, Joseph and Henry Hughes. He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Anne (Cunnane) Hughes; their children Paul (Danielle) Hughes, Brian (Chrissy) Hughes, Michael (Susan) Hughes, Elizabeth (Lori) Hughes, and Timothy (Erin) Hughes; grandchildren Christian (Brianna) Verges, Elizabeth Van Nostrand, Michael (Lisa) Hughes, Jessica (Caleb) Howard, Kathleen Van Nostrand, Emily Hughes, Sarah Hughes, Adam Van Nostrand, Connor (Nicole) Hughes, Madeline Hughes, and Martine Hughes; and great-grandchildren Penelope Howard, Pauline Howard, and Owen Verges. He also leaves his brother, Robert (Mary) Hughes; sister, Virginia (Joseph) Robillard; and Misty Stout, who was like a daughter to him. The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the Fire and EMS crews of Rural Metro Station 11, and to the clergy and congregation of St. John Neumann Catholic Church for their care and support. Services for Paul will be held on September 9, 2025. Visitation will take place from 10:00–11:00 AM at Click Funeral Home in Farragut. A Funeral Mass will follow at 12:00 PM at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, with inurnment immediately after at the church columbarium. Reverend Bo Beaty will officiate. The Funeral Mass will be streamed via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@st.johnneumannknoxville886/streams and via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sjnknox/. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.