B. R. (Billy Ray) Hughes passed away September 17th 2024 at his residence. He was born February 14th, 1932 in El Dorado, Arkansas, and was the son of Jesse Gordon and Bonnie Vey (Middlebrooks) Hughes.
He attended Arkansas State Teachers College in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, now Henderson State University. While completing his degree, he met his future wife, Carolyn, in Huttig, Arkansas. They married in 1957. Together they had two children, Barry Ray and Lee Ann, both of whom preceded him in death.
Early in his career he taught history, English, and journalism and coached at several schools across Arkansas. He moved to Texarkana, Texas in 1965 and began his tenure as a teacher at Texarkana College. He eventually became Dean of Students there and served in that role for 35 years.
Throughout this time, he wrote articles for a variety of newspapers and magazines, such as Sports and Outdoors, Guns and Ammo, Gun Digest, and Blade Magazine.
B.R. was a founding member of the American Bladesmith Society (ABS), which is now a world-wide organization of knifemakers who create handmade forged knives and tools and who provide education in those arts. As a founder of the ABS, he was eventually inducted into both the Cutlery Hall of Fame and the American Bladesmith Hall of Fame.
He was also instrumental in bringing the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing to Texarkana College. TC honored B.R. by naming the campus classroom after him in 2019.
B. R. is survived by his wife of 66 years, Carolyn Lee Hughes and a daughter-in-law, Caroline Corbin Hughes, both of Texarkana, Texas, two grandsons, Cody Barrett Hughes and his wife Lora, their children Barrett Reed and Rece Ellen, of Bentonville, Arkansas, and Cale Bryant
Hughes, his wife Stephanie, and their daughter Ameila Bernadette, of Allen, Texas. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Glenda Lee of Granbury, Texas, and many other cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son, Barry Ray Hughes in 2019, and his daughter, Lee Ann Hughes in 2010.
Visitation with the family will be held on Friday, September 20, from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., at Chapelwood Funeral Home, at 1015 North Kings Highway in Nash, Texas. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 21, at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 2623 N. Robison Road, Texarkana, Texas, following a private burial.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Hero’s Pantry of Texarkana, care of Trinity Presbyterian Church, 2623 N. Robinson Road, Texarkana, Texas 75501 or to the American Heart Association.
