HUGHES, Raymond Alexander - Died peacefully on April 21, 2017 in Toronto. Born August 18, 1923 in Toronto. Beloved husband of Iris Hope (deceased). Dearly missed by his children Jennifer (Bill) Meeker, Susan (Ken Logue) Hughes, Steven (Carolyne) Hughes; son-in-law Richard Coles; grandchildren Alex, Meredith and David Meeker, Kevin, Sophie and Georgia Hughes Coles, Fiona and Justin Logue, Patrick and Michael Hughes; brother Robert (deceased); nieces and nephews Hugh, Kim, Shannon and Nancy; and sweet companion Elaine Hill.

Raymond was born in 1923 (Toronto) to Alexander and Lilian Hughes. After Alex’s death in 1928, Lilian raised Ray and his younger brother Bob single-handedly, first taking rooms in a boarding house and then purchasing a small home in Mount Dennis, close to the Don River. Realizing he needed to help out, Ray’s first jobs were selling bunches of radishes door-to-door to local homeowners after school and caddying at the local golf course.

When war came, Ray and his brother were quick to volunteer. A flying officer in the air force, Ray taught bomb-aiming until VE Day. He was home on leave awaiting deployment to the Pacific when the war ended.

When the government offered war veterans the choice of land or university tuition, Ray was guided by a family friend to choose admission to University of Toronto. Upon graduation, Ray, modest when assessing his own abilities, was persuaded by a supportive professor to apply to Osgoode Hall Law School. He started his law practice in 1953 doing virtually everything from real estate to criminal to family to corporate commercial. Over some 57 years of practicing law, his clients included major corporations, senior executives and entrepreneurs and their widows and even their children, church groups, and parishioners. Clients became lifelong friends, and friends became loyal clients. He was in every sense a most trusted advisor to all.

Meanwhile, back in the early 1950s, while driving through the little town of Wiarton on a weekend fishing trip, Ray happened to meet up with good friend Bill Smiley. Ray’s world would never be the same. That evening Bill and his wife Ivy introduced Ray to Ivy’s sister, Iris Hope Bull, and it was love at first sight. Ray married his dear Iris in 1953. They had a wonderful relationship of mutual respect and admiration, and an abiding love which was obvious to all who knew them. They lived an active life and worked hard but also reflected on their good fortune, taking nothing for granted. They golfed, travelled, teased each other, listened to music, sang, played bridge, and read.

Soon after the newly-weds moved into a three-storey walk-up on Deloraine Avenue, Ray came home one evening and entered what he believed to be his new apartment. To his surprise, he met Barb Taylor, half-robed as she’d just stepped out of the shower, equally surprised and equally newly-wed but to husband Don. The meeting led to a lifelong and treasured friendship between Ray and Iris, and Barb and Don (who, by the way, never believed it was a mistake in spite of Ray’s protests!).

Ray and Iris introduced the Taylors to the St. Philip-the-Apostle Anglican Church in 1955. Deeply involved in the life of this church community, Ray served a leadership role, offering legal help to those in need and growing as close as family to so many of the parishioners over the years.

Despite his self-proclaimed shy nature, Ray was always interested in other people, their thoughts and lives. Non-judgemental and open-minded, he observed, listened, and questioned, trying to understand and appreciate others’ perspectives and worldviews, seeking to learn and deepen his connection to people.

After suffering the loss of a still-born child, Ray and Iris shared the joy of welcoming three cherished children into their lives: Jennifer, Susan, and Steven. Now living on Cheritan Avenue, the most special of streets, Ray and Iris helped create and maintain close relationships with their neighbours. They exchanged parenting tips, attended parent-teacher meetings, organized street parties and mutual vacations, hired one another’s children as babysitters, and rang in New Year’s Eve together. They remained friends for decades, and to this day, the Cheritan connection still remains strong for the Hughes’ children.

Ray believed one the best decisions he and Iris ever made was buying their family cottage on Kawagama Lake in 1974. Together they and their children, and then their grandchildren, have enjoyed years of fishing, tennis, swimming, star-gazing, horseshoeing, canoeing, enjoying the natural beauty of the Haliburton Highlands and sharing the companionship of long-time cottage neighbours. He discovered the spectacular Moorelands Wilderness Camp on the shores of Lake Kawagama and soon became a passionate supporter of Moorelands Community Services, spreading the word about its work and serving on the board of directors.

Ray made many close friends during his years as a member of the Strollers Club, the Military Institute, and York Downs Golf and Country Club. He enjoyed evenings spent with his Quintum Syndicate pals, his poker buddies, and his Monday night snooker group.

When St. Philips Church was closed, Ray and Iris made the move along with many other fellow parishioners to St. Timothy’s Church (North Toronto) and began attending regularly. Ray retired from his law practice in 2009 at the age of 86. In 2012, Iris died suddenly. Heartbroken, Ray deeply mourned the loss of his beloved wife.

Redirecting his grief into finding ways to connect with and assist others, Ray continued taking courses at George Brown College and Glendon College and visiting hospitalized or homebound friends. He joined the Society of Singers Choir and began volunteering at the Veteran’s Centre, K wing, at Sunnybrook Hospital, and continuing making new friendships.

In 2013, Ray introduced his children to his new friend Elaine Hill, who he knew from St. Timothy’s Church. To their amazement and delight, Elaine was able to both keep up with their father’s active lifestyle and encourage him to have even more new adventures alongside her. This special woman was holding Ray’s hand when he died, surrounded by his loving family, in the palliative care wing of Sunnybrook Hospital on a beautiful sunny morning.

Ray was smart, funny, humble, and generous. He always put the needs of others before his own. Honest, he spoke his mind but he also shared his feelings, giving his family and friends the great gift of knowing how much he cared for them. Ray, we will miss you more than words can possibly express.

Thank you to the expert teams of doctors (staff and resident), nurses, PTs and OTs, and social workers (especially those on D4, B4, and K1), and porters at Sunnybrook Hospital who cared for Raymond, and his family, with such professionalism, compassion and patience, including Elie Cote, Dr Ahmed, Dr Gregory Choy, Dr Jerome Leis, Dr Mohamed Mansoor, Dr Avijeet Sarker, Dr YY Xu, and Dr Irene Ying. Special thanks to Dr Dov Gandell, Dr Matthew Cheung, and Dr Debbie Selby; and to long-time physician to the Hughes family and friend to Ray, Dr Bill Santo.

Visitation on Monday, May 1st from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre, 375 Mount Pleasant Road (East Gate Entrance). Service at same location on Tuesday, May 2nd at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow. Donations to Moorelands Wilderness Camp, El Hogar Projects Canada, or a charity of your choice appreciated.