Dr. Eugene M. Hughes
Former EKU Interim President Eugene Hughes passed away peacefully in his sleep on March 10, 2021. A Celebration of Life for Dr. Hughes will be on Saturday, July 24, in Flagstaff, Ariz. The event will be livestreamed on YouTube.
In 2001, Eugene M. Hughes came out of retirement, after 42 years in higher education, to become Eastern's interim president until a permanent president was found. Although he wasn't looking for work, he liked Eastern's campus and community, and agreed to take on the job.
Dr. Hughes brought to Eastern not only a fresh face with new ideas, but also an impressive resume. He was president of Northern Arizona University (1979-1993) and Wichita State University (1993-1999) before retiring as president emeritus, both of which faced the same kind of budget cutbacks that Eastern was facing.
His daughter Lisa Hughes Zyriek wrote, “My dad thoroughly enjoyed his time at EKU. He prioritized offering opportunities for first-time students from Appalachia.” He was honored at EKU's 2011 commencement by receiving an honorary doctorate of laws, and was commissioned an honorary Kentucky colonel in 2010.
Dr. Hughes earned degrees in mathematics, including a Bachelor of Science from Chadron State College in Nebraska, a Master of Science from Kansas State University, and a Ph.D. from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. While at Chadron, he became a National Science Foundation fellow.
A beloved educator, administrator, mentor, and friend, Gene is most deeply missed by his three children: Deborah (Hughes) Cruze (Gary), Greg Hughes (Barbara), and Lisa Hughes Zyriek (Don); grandchildren: Melissa (Cruze) Hahn (Michael), Aaron Cruze, Rebecca Cruze, Stephanie (Hughes) Argetsinger (Nicholas), Clark Rotroff (Stacy Trejo), Franklin Zyriek, and Elizabeth Zyriek; great-grandchildren: Nikki, Zoey, and Nathaniel Argetsinger, Clark Rotroff, and Olivia and Isaiah Trejo; and first wife, Caroline (Hartwig) Hughes. He is also survived by his second wife, Margaret Ann (Romeo) Hughes; her children: Jeff Cibik (Melissa), Mark Cibik, and Christi (Cibik) Kalmer (John); and her grandchildren: Austin, Jake, Logan, and Autumn Cibik, and Taylor and Brian Kalmer. The family had a small private service in Flagstaff, Ariz.