James E. Hughes

A Memorial Visitation for James E. Hughes, 101, of Eagle River, WI. will be held Sunday, November 17, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Ahlgrim Family Funeral Home, 415 S. Buesching Road, Lake Zurich. The Interment will be private.

Jim was born February 12, 1923, in Byron, Illinois, and died peacefully October 31, 2024, in Lake Zurich, Illinois.

Jim was the beloved husband of the late Suzanne Hughes (nee Wolff); loving father of Linda (late Kent) Perkins and the late Andrew Hughes; loving grandfather of Kurt Perkins (Julie) and Megan (nee Perkins) Portenlanger (Joe); great grandfather of Samantha, Daniella, Joey, Alden, Tyler, Declan; dear son of the late John and Coral Lea (nee Johnson) Hughes; fond brother of the late Wayne Hughes and late Katherine Jean Peverly (nee Hughes); fond cousin and uncle to many.

He was a graduate of Pontiac, IL. High School where he played drums with the school band. He met and married his high school sweetheart Suzanne in 1943. They had been married for 72 years! Jim attended Chicago Tech College for Architectural studies until he was drafted into the Armed Forces during WWII. He served 3 years as a topographer. He was stationed in Europe; end of Battle of the bulge, traveled by ship from France to Japan via the Panama Canal. Jim recalled the moment he survived a tsunami during that time.

Jim returned home from the war in January 1946 to finally meet his newborn daughter, Linda. They lived in Rodgers Park and later had their son, Andrew in 1953. He became a draftsman, then continued his career as an Architectural Engineer in Chicago, IL. During his career he worked for Sumner Sollitt designing paper mills and commercial construction. He had a love of Midcentury modern design and Frank Lloyd Wright and even met him in person. Jim and Suzanne designed and built a home in Deerfield, IL in 1957. He was a licensed Architect in IL. and WI. During retirement he volunteered his time helping design the Northwoods Children’s Museum in Eagle River, WI.

They enjoyed traveling to the Grand Canyon, California, Canada, Mexico and out east, but Eagle River, WI. became a special vacation destination for their family. Jim and Suzanne built a lake home in the Northwoods and in 1986 moved there permanently. It was their little piece of heaven. They enjoyed cross-country skiing, swimming, hiking, fishing and nature watching. They both shared a love of big band, jazz music and all plants and animals, especially dogs. Together they shared all the things they loved about this life with family, friends and neighbors. Jim always enjoyed a homemade meal by Suzanne or a night out to eat a Friday fish fry with a 7&7 drink or a beer.

Even as he aged in numbers, he kept active and sharp, wanting to learn about new technology, engaging in great conversations with all and was always reading the newspaper or a magazine. You wouldn’t catch him without a pen in the pocket of his shirt. Jim was 96 years old when he was featured in the local paper for being the oldest to ride the zipline in town. He also was still cross-country skiing, on his lake, up until his early 90s. Jim was also very active in the Lions Club of Deerfield for 20 years.

In lieu of flowers, memorials would be appreciated to Northwoods Children’s Museum and Discovery Toy Store 346 W Division St, Eagle River, WI 54521.