CANTON – LCDR (Ret) Carl D. Hughes Sr., 88, passed away at the Kennestone Tranquility Mountain Hospice on Saturday, July 18th 2015 surrounded by family.

Born in Birmingham, AL on March 8, 1927, he was the middle child of Lila Grace and Asbury Rasillus Hughes. He attended Woodlawn High School and studied at Howard College, later Samford University.

Carl was a career U.S. Navy veteran who served during World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam Conflict.

Carl was a patriot who loved his country dearly. He enlisted at 17 years old to serve during World War II in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre. Upon his discharge, he studied at Howard College and rejoined the U.S. Navy. He graduated as an Ensign from the U.S. Naval Officer Candidate School in May 1962 and continued his service until retirement in 1973. He served aboard the USS LCT 1418, USS LST 804, U.S.S. Wasp (CVA-18), is a Plank Owner of the U.S.S. Fortify (AM-446) and the U.S.S. Charles Ware (DD-865) among many other shore duty locations. It was during his assignment with the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center, Andros Island, Bahamas that he met his wife Carol Ann Byrd. The two were married in May 1970 and lived together happily until her death in 2001.

He is predeceased by his wife Carol Byrd Hughes and survived by his five children; Kirk (Diane) Hughes, Kim Hughes Willingham, Kristy Hughes Stanley, Holly (Glenn) Taylor and Carl (Susan) Hughes Jr. He has nine grandchildren; Donna (John) Frantz, Doug Hughes, Julee Morrison, James (Tracy) Stanley, Jeremy (Lorena) Stanley, Michael Stanley, Claire (Daniel) Schauer, Sydney Taylor and Carl Hughes III. And nine great grandchildren; Donovan, Christopher, Kaitlin, Gabrielle, Nicholas, Joey, Chloe, Lucie, and Austen.

Carl will be reunited in death with his wife Carol where they will be interred together at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.