January 24, 1939 December 21, 2025
Lester Eugene Hughes died peacefully at home Sunday, December 21, 2025, after suffering several years from the neurodegenerative disorder, multiple system atrophy. Lester was born in Center, Texas, January 24, 1939, to Voyde and Nara Hughes and was raised on a farm outside of Center in the community of Arcadia. He was born into a musical family, which lead to he and his brother, Bruce, becoming band directors. Lester was drum major at Timpson High School where he graduated in 1957. He was also drum major at Stephen F. Austin for three years while he received his bachelor’s degree in music in 1960 and during his fourth year while working on his master’s degree in school administration. While at SFA, his jobs included the campus library, SFA Theater, and band director at Shelbyville. He also attended Arizona State University and University of Hawaii two summers.
In 1961, at age 22, Lester began his career as band director at Rusk ISD. Lester was the only director for both junior high and high school during the sixteen years he taught there. In addition to band directing, he also taught driver’s education at Rusk, Cushing and Central Heights.
As band director, Lester started an annual baton twirling contest as a fundraising project for the Rusk band program. It was the first contest in this area of Texas which attracted hundreds of participants from Texas and Louisiana and continued for 15 years. Around this time, Lester and his brother Bruce, opened H&H Trophy. Lester provided medals and trophies for his contests and other events as well as horse shows around the greater East Texas area.
He was also an active member of the Rusk Lions Club in the 1970s-80s.
Lester married Fay Birkelbach in the summer of 1971 when they eloped to Las Vegas, surprising their friends and family.
Lester and Fay had two daughters, Cynthia and Adriene, who both followed in the band tradition, as well as being twirlers and drum majors in high school and college. Lester was a great mentor to them, helping with their music, studies and always encouraging them to reach their highest potential.
Lester and Fay provided a loving home with home-cooked meals that included vegetables from the garden the family worked together. Lester had always been a good saver and careful investor.
He invested in the stock market and in rental properties around East Texas. His money management allowed the family to enjoy many vacations, including their trips to Slippery Rock University, Pennsylvania, Vacation College and numerous beach trips. Fay, Cynthia and Adriene consider themselves very blessed to have had Lester for a husband and dad.
Through the years, Lester had other smaller side businesses such as being a clock dealer for the New England Clock Company. They offered him a full time position because he sold more clocks than any other dealer they had ever had. Of course he turned it down because the only reason he took the job was to buy one of their grandfather clocks at wholesale price.
Lester also peddled shrimp out of his garage with his friend, Joe Radford. Because he loved to eat Gulf Coast shrimp, he found a good deal on the coast where they purchased shrimp in bulk. They would bring it back to Rusk where they would weigh, bag and sell it to locals. He and Joe also entered and competed in many slot machine tournaments through the years in Las Vegas.
On his many trips to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, he would purchase and bring back cases of vanilla, silver plates and crosses and other goods to sell.
After nineteen years of being a band director, Lester went to work at Citizens 1st Bank in Rusk as Executive Vice President. After twelve years at the bank, he wanted to complete his teacher retirement and went to work for the Windham School System at the Coffield Prison Unit at Tennessee Colony, Texas. He worked there for 12 years and retired at the age of 61. During his tenure at Coffield, he bought Rusk Mini Storage from Travis McCain and later bought storage units from Tom Ball where he continued and increased the business for 23 years.
In 2020, he sold both storage sites. Several people in town had asked, “What is he going to do now?” And at the age of 81, Lester had more than earned the privilege of doing what he wanted most days which usually included reading, watching westerns, and zipping around town in his little silver truck, visiting with friends and checking in at the banks.
Lester once said, “I have enjoyed every moment in Rusk and, especially, the people. I hope to remain in Rusk the rest of my life.” Unfortunately, not long after retirement, he developed this horrific, debilitating disease that took so much from him and eventually his life.
Lester was preceded in death by his parents, Voyde Lester Hughes and Nara Emanis Hughes; brother, Bruce Hughes; cousins, Bonnie Bee Hughes, Joy Hughes Covington, Jason Covington, great-nephew, Jose Antonia Barahona and many additional aunts, uncles and cousins.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Fay Birkelbach Hughes; daughters, Cynthia Hughes Campbell of Tyler and Adriene Hughes Stanaland and husband, Jason, of Appleby; grandchildren, Marilyn Metzig Bundrick and husband, Brent, of Longview, Cooper Stanaland of Appleby; great-grandchildren, Anderson and Beau Bundrick of Longview; nieces and nephews, Kimberly Hughes Barahona, John Hughes, Mark Birkelbach and Amy, Elaine Birkelbach Peterson and Tom and Michael Birkelbach; cousins, Jackie and Neil Grant, Pamela and Dick Vance, Janet Marcone Simmons, Karol Emanis Elder, Judy Emanis Ellis, Johny and Tammie Covington, Jennifer Covington Golden, Brady Wells, Shelly Bee Hughes Cantrell, Brandt Wells, Jesse Hughes, Michelle Covington Richards, Brent and Debbie Hughes, Barry Hughes, Bart Hughes, and many more.
A memorial service will be held, February 14, 2026 at the First United Methodist Church, Rusk, Texas. Former Rusk pastor, Jacob Smith will be officiating. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. before the memorial service at 2:00 p.m. Lester’s ashes will be laid to rest at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Rusk.
Honorary pallbearers: David Beard, Bobby Brooks, Lewie Byers, Jamie Campbell, Johny Covington, Lobo Cruz, Sammy Dance, Neil Grant, Charles Hassell, James Bubba Jared, Jody Jordan, Elmer Kennedy, Dr. Jim Largent, Tyson Metzig, James I. Perkins, Harold Porter, Ray Rayson, Abel Rosales, Apollo Serrato, Jerry Thompson and Russell Turner.
Any memorial donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church (P.O. Box 99, Rusk, TX 75785) www.ruskfumc.com.