On Friday, November 5th, 2021, Larry Anthony Hughes, a loyal and generous father, grandfather, husband and friend, left this earth life to be reunited with the love of his life, Joy Lynne Cudworth Hughes. Larry was born in Santa Barbara, CA, on December 4th, 1942.
Larry spent his growing up years riding horses and hunting in the Santa Barbara mountains. As a young teenager, he was tasked with working the stables at Santa Barbara Fiesta which led to a moment that changed his life. That moment was when he saw Joy for the first time. They were both 13 years old, but he left that day and told his friend he had met the girl he was going to marry. They spent that summer riding horses all over Santa Barbara and courted for the next 8 years before marrying on February 22nd, 1964.
Aside from spending time with Joy throughout high school, Larry was known for his prowess on the football field. His claim to fame was scoring the first touchdown ever for San Marcos High School at La Playa Stadium. After high school he chose to forego collegiate football to study plumbing and train as an apprentice. He was a journeyman plumber of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 114. He spent 60 years providing plumbing services for many residents of Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley. He was known for his honest and high quality work. Many evenings and weekends, he could be found helping out a friend or neighbor with projects and repairs that were needed. Additionally he taught for the Union’s apprenticeship program for many years, passing his knowledge on to the younger plumber.
Joy and Larry spent the first few years of marriage in Santa Barbara where their three children Kym, Carol and Don, were born. They enjoyed being close to family in the area but decided to move to the Santa Ynez Valley to raise their children. Larry was a supportive and dedicated father who set an example of work ethic that each of them have followed. He would drive half way across the country to pick up livestock for his kids to raise and sell at the fair, spend hours in the gym watching his son play basketball (or just yelling at the refs) and used any free time he had to take the family camping. A few of his favorite camping spots were June Lake, Kingsburg, the mojave desert and trips to Oklahoma. June Lake is a treasured family spot as he spent many summers there with Joy, “frolicking” (his words) in the meadow at Lee Vining as well as camping and fishing with his kids and grandkids. Many hours were spent on his pontoon boat with his grandkids, where the slightest nibble would send the panic level from 0-100 in a nanosecond. Despite his sometimes gruff exterior and his “breakaway” belt, Larry had a heart of gold and would do anything for Joy and his kids.
Other than Joy and the family, Larry’s greatest love was trap shooting. He was known throughout the state as one of the best trapshooters, earning countless awards and titles at the state and local level. Understanding the importance of continuing the sport, he served on the Board of the CGSTA and would often share his experience with the young ones. He had advice and answers for everyone whether you asked him or not. He generously supported the local gun clubs, specifically Santa Maria, and Santa Ynez, where he shot his last shoot on October 31, 2021. When he wasn’t on the trap line, he was easy to find in the clubhouse with his buddies playing a heated game of poker.
Coming in a close second to his love of trapshooting, was his enjoyment of basketball. He was a lifelong Laker fan, almost never missing a game. He played basketball with local friends well past his prime, where he was known for his three point shot attempts and nicknamed “The Legend.
Despite his sometimes gruff exterior and his “breakaway” belt, Larry had a heart of gold and would do anything for Joy, his kids and especially his grandkids. He tolerated trips to Disneyland, patiently taught them to fish, drove the grandkids on ATVs, tried to keep them safe by discouraging running by the pool and jumping off the roof and gave neighborhood tours in his golf cart. He loved and encouraged each of his grandkids in the avenues they have pursued and was proud of each one of them. The Hughes traits of hard work, sarchasm, generosity, sense of humor, patriotism, love of outdoors and competitive spirit live in each of his kids and grandkids. For this, we are so grateful to be part of his legacy!
Larry is survived by his three children Kym, Carol (Randy) and Don (Amy) and nine grandchildren, Chase, Andy, Daci, Jordon, Jared, Luke, Alex, Kara and Owen, his brother Jerry (Terry), stepmom Shelby and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sweetheart Joy, his parents, and his sister Terry.
Graveside services will be held at Oak Hill Cemetery in Ballard on Thursday, November 11th, 2021, at 11 am. A Celebration of Life will also be held at the Santa Maria Gun Club on Saturday, November 20th, 2021, at 11 am.
