Oliver John "Ollie" Hughes Jr., 84, of Lenexa, Kan., passed away Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013, at his home.

Ollie was born in Collinsville, Ill., on Sept. 3, 1928, as the only child to Oliver and Martha (Guisgond) Hughes, Sr. He graduated from Collinsville High School in 1946, when he served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1946 to 1948 and was a member of the Marine Corp League. Oliver received a BA in government in May 1963 from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Ill.

Oliver worked at Shell Oil Company in Wood River, Ill. for 10 years from 1953 to 1963; after college graduation he went to work for the federal government with Social Security until his retirement in 1994. Working with Social Security he moved his family from Troy, Ill. (1953-1963), to Lombard, Ill. (1963-1965), Rochester, Minn. (1965-1973), Emporia, Kan. (1973-1978), to Shawnee, Kan. and then Lenexa, Kan. (1978-2013).

He had been an active member of Hope Lutheran Church in Shawnee, Kan., since 1978. He had been a volunteer at Johnson County Community College and a volunteer marshal at Heritage Park Golf Course. He also enjoyed reading, watching sports on TV, and going to plays and concerts.

Oliver was married to Lois M. Schultze for almost 52 years, until her death in 2005. They have four children, Donna (Paul) Boenisch of Lees Summit, Mo., Mark (Kris) Hughes of Phoenix, Ariz., Neil (Glennis) Hughes of Loveland, Colo., and Greg (Kaye) Hughes of Acworth, Ga.; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by his very special girlfriend of three years, Pat Elrod of Shawnee Mission, Kan.; sisters-in-law, Betty Schultze of Ashley, Ill., Vera Schultze of Alton, Ill., Mary Loyet of Carrollton, Ill., Pat Hinton of Alhambra, Ill.; brothers and sisters-in-law, Jim and Rosemary Schultze of Staunton, Ill., and Joe and Karen Schultze of St. Jacob, Ill.; many nieces and nephews; Aunt Cleo Feig of Centralia, Ill.; and cousin-like brother, Don and Jane Ungerott.

Preceding him in death are his parents, his wife, and a cousin who was considered a brother, Frank "Sleep" Ungerott; sister-in-law, Jean Wallace and her husbands, Bill Kebbel and Joe Wallace; brothers-in-law, John Schultze, Paul Schultze, Charles Loyet and Aaron Hinton; and Uncle Jack Feig and Aunt Elizabeth "Bess" and Uncle Frank Ungerott.

The family suggests memorial contributions to Hope Lutheran Church or American Cancer Society and will be accepted at the funeral home.

Visitation: Friends may call from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013, at Herr Funeral Home, Collinsville, Ill.

Funeral: Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at St. John's Cemetery, Collinsville, Ill.