Reid Barton Hughes Sr.

1927 - 2021

Reid B. Hughes, age 94, peacefully left this earth to be with the Lord July 3, 2021. He was at home with his family by his side.

Reid was born January 31, 1927, in Dallas, Texas, to Reid B. Hughes and Ola Irene Weilenman Hughes. He grew up during the dust bowl in Amarillo where he graduated from Amarillo High School. He was an only child, raised by his single mother, who was a schoolteacher and a Texas Tech graduate instilling a deep love for the Red Raiders in Reid, along with the confidence that he could succeed and accomplish anything worth his passion. And that he did. He was certainly a man who changed our world.

After high school, Reid enlisted in the US Navy until the war ended. He then went on to graduate with a B.S. from the University of Southern California, later in life receiving a degree from Wharton's School of Business and honorary Doctorates from both Bethune Cookman College and Florida State University.

Upon graduating from USC, he was hired by Phillips Petroleum where he began his career in the oil and gas industry. He moved to Florida in 1952 and to Daytona Beach in 1954 where he opened Hughes Oil Company and laid down roots that will last forever in our community and state.

Reid served on nearly every possible charitable and civic board you could name from the local YMCA to being appointed by the Governor to the Florida Development Commission. The list of his involvements is over 2 pages long. He was a visionary and was instrumental in bringing I-95 through Daytona Beach, helped bring Embry Riddle Aeronautical University to the area and worked with his old friend, Tippen Davidson, to bring the London Symphony Orchestra to Daytona.

Reid was a developer of gas stations, shopping centers, car washes and a radio station. He received the "Distinguished Service Award" from the Chamber, was awarded "Outstanding Man of the Year" by the Jaycees and in 1966 was elected to the Executive and Professional Hall of Fame. He was recognized by Florida Trend Magazine as one of Florida's 100 most influential citizens.

Reid was a protector of the environment from his early days in Texas, before there was even such a thing. He championed locally for the protection of Spruce Creek, Rose Bay, and the Tomoka River, donating his time and money to protect our state's aquifer. Reid served on the Boards of the St. John's River Water Management District, the Florida Development Commission, the Everglades Foundation, the Florida Environmental Education Foundation and the Sierra Club, and received many distinguished awards. He was a member of the Volusia Forever Advisory Committee and helped purchase and preserve nearly 62,000 acres of important ecological lands in Volusia and Flagler counties alone. He was a board member of Defenders of Wildlife, the National Audubon Society and Chair of the Florida Nature Conservancy.

He taught Sunday school from the day he moved to Daytona in 1954 until he could no longer do so. He loved the Lord with all his heart. He loved to exercise. He ran in the very first Easter Beach Run in 1967 and never missed one until his hips and knees no longer let him run when he was 90. He loved sports. When he moved to Florida in '52 he said, "I needed to have a Florida team so I picked the worst team in the state because I love the underdog so I became a Florida State Seminole", which he remained and instilled in his children and grandkids and great grandkids. He was a visionary, a leader, and he never met a stranger. He wore his shoes until they fell apart, he treated everyone the same, he taught us all to love each other no matter the color of our skin or our belief system, he was fair and just in all things.

But for all of this, Reid was a man who foremost loved his family. He leaves behind a family who will miss him every day of their lives. This is because he was present in everything they did. He never missed a single event from births to birthdays, graduations, dance recitals, family BBQs, holidays, and any excuse to party. He was the life of the party telling jokes and stories that who knew if they were true. He was a joker of the best kind.

Reid is survived by the love of his life, his wife Mary. He was predeceased by his daughter, April Reeves (Brian), and is survived by his son, Reid Hughes, Jr., nicknamed "Buddy" (Paul) and his daughter, Cyndi Parker (Clint). He is also survived by a stepson, Gabe Dalporto (Deva) and an adopted daughter, Dawn Yeargin. He has 7 grandchildren, 2 step grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

The County of Volusia proclaimed December 4, 2007 A.D. as "Reid B. Hughes Day". On behalf of his family, we proclaim that every single day of your life be proclaimed "This is the day I will better myself and my family" in remembrance of our hero, Reid B. Hughes.

The service and reception have been postponed due to Covid and will be rescheduled to a future date. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Reid's name to the local chapters of Florida Audubon or the Sierra Club. Condolences may be shared with the family at legacy.com.