Thomas Lee Hughson

     Thomas L. Hughson was a man of warmth, integrity, family, and community. He passed at home on the farm on September 3, 2026, at 74. His joy and strength were in Nancy, the love of his life, and his family.
     Tom grew up on a farm in Ovid, Michigan. His childhood was spent with his older brother, Terry, creating their own fun by playing rodeo (jumping on steers as they ran under them) and going on wagon rides (off the top of the barn). Tom’s childhood was shaped by caring aunts and uncles: Aunt Gladys, Aunt Doris, Uncle Dick, Uncle George, Aunt Adeline, who visited him so often when he was little and alone in the hospital, and Uncle Raymond, who made special visits to see Tom at the elevator - all of these people filled in the gaps to form his childhood. Russ and Ginny Waters, neighbors from the time Tom moved to Shepardsville Road at the age of 13, treated him as a son. Tom never forgot a kindness. Regardless of how many years passed, Tom often spoke of them and loved them dearly for their time and care.
     In his early years, like a lot of young people, Tom started out with little to his name. But he had dreams of the life he wanted to build, and with whom he wanted to build it, his high school sweetheart, Nancy Lemke. They both were smitten and frankly, undaunted by the challenges ahead (clueless) as long as they had each other. They dated for 6 months, engaged for 3 months, and were married on August 26, 1972. They celebrated their 54th anniversary this year. What they built from scratch is truly amazing. Tom and Nancy worked hard. They both took jobs in the community and then came home at night to work their vision-their farm. All the while they went slow to go fast-saving, working, and waiting for the right moments to take calculated risks and investments. They added to their farm by buying land, they upgraded equipment, they built barns, they remodeled their home, and they grew their family. Their daughters, Jody and Jaclyn, deepened Tom’s commitment to the end game, working to make sure their girls had choices, options, and a launch into life through the farm. This time of growth and change is well documented by hand prints and names etched in the cement all over the farm. Just a week ago, Tom commented that, in those early days he might plow until 1:30 a.m. and be back up to milk cows at 3:00 a.m. – since we all know those cows wait for no one. Those cows also had names and he took great pride in taking care of them. Through all these years, Tom always had a dog by his side. Champ, Duke, Jake, and most recently, Eddie, walked alongside him, rode in the truck with him, and laid in the shop while he worked. Eddie was with Tom in his last moments.
     Tom and Nancy were partners. Every spring planting, every summer hay season, every fall harvest and every project in between, they worked together and often as a family. When the girls were still home, Tom’s (and Jody’s) idea of a perfect day was the four of them working outside, together. There were always growing pains, but ambition, perseverance, independence, pure stubbornness and belief in their family carried them through. A huge part of Tom’s life was community. So many neighbors and friends whose lives intertwined with Tom and Nancy’s and shared in the joy and the burdens. There was always someone to call on – “call up Bernath and see what he thinks”, “Rick, I’ve got a problem”, “run up to John’s and get me a part”, and “Dave, how much rain did you get?”, or “Charlie, want to go for a ride?”
     Tom had lifelong friends and neighbors who were like family to him and he loved nothing more than impromptu visitors! His greatest joy was found in the daily interactions with those he loved. This year brought a big change in their lives as they rented out the farm for the first time in 54 years.
     One of his biggest regrets was that he wouldn’t get to combine corn, beans, not so much! In order to keep busy, he embarked on a new project with Jody, also known as little Tom. Craig and Nancy were dragged into it, sometimes not very happily. He bought some new equipment to develop flower gardens and together, they created a beautiful area to relax. Jody and Tom both enjoyed creating flower bouquets to deliver to friends and family. Tom would send Jaclyn a video of the flowers each day.
     Tom knew and loved every inch of his farm. Well-worn paths wound their way through the fields, streams and woods, maintained through Tom’s daily rounds in the Gator with his best dog, Eddie. He loved taking his sister-in-law, Shari, and his grandkids with him on these rides, which were usually a lot longer than they bargained for! Tom’s blood, sweat and tears poured into his land over a lifetime and he took great pride in the legacy he was leaving behind.  Daughters, sons-in-laws, Jody and Craig and Jaclyn and Chip, and his 7 grandchildren, Grant, Jackson, Madison, Sophie, Brady, Lukas and Landry, were Papa Tom's pride and brought him immeasurable joy.
      Most of all, Tom loved Nancy. Together, they built a family and a lifetime of cherished memories that offer comfort even as their hearts are broken. Tom lives on in Nancy’s heart and the lives of his daughters and their families. A life well lived, Thomas will be remembered and revered always.
     He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester Hughson and Dorothy Thompson, sister, Connie Weller and nephew, Danny Weller.
     Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes – Houghton Chapel, Ovid, MI, on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 11:00 A.M., with Pastor Kathy Leydorf-Keck officiating. Burial will take place at Riverside Cemetery, Elsie, MI. Visitation will be held on Monday, September 7, 2026, from 2-8 P.M. at the funeral home.
    The Hughson family requests that everyone in attendance to please dress casual as a reflection of Tom and his love of family and friends just spending special times together.
     Tom cared deeply about education and literacy and often spoke to his daughters about the importance of reading to his grandkids. He also spent significant time in the hospital as a child and cared greatly about the health, safety and medical care of children. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library https://donate.imaginationlibrary.com or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org in his memory. Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes - Houghton Chapel, Ovid, Michigan.