Richard Hughes

Richard Lee Hughes

Richard Lee Hughes, born March 24, 1933 has left this world on March 16, 2020 and is riding beside our Lord and Savior in the heavenly prairies and arenas.  Richard, a long time native of Roswell, grew up on the family ranch northeast of Roswell in Chaves County.  Richard was a marvelous athlete and a championship cowboy, winning many awards including All-Around Cowboy.  But Richard’s passion was horses.  He was very successful at breeding, raising, and training Quarter horses mainly, but also trained thoroughbreds as well.  Richard’s horses won large purses all around New Mexico and West Texas as he was very successful in the racehorse industry.

Richard, a 1951 graduate of Roswell also served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956 and was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX as he awaited deployment to Korea, but the conflict ended before he was deployed.  He worked 22 years at Southwestern Public Service Company before he became a full-time horseman.  In his earlier years, Richard also broke and steered colts.  He was a top hand on horseback and a championship calf roper, a left-handed roper, and star wrestler as well.  Those that know Richard also knew that he was as fast as a horse on foot in a 40-yard dash.

Richard has resided the final years of his life in a Veterans Administration facility in Truth or Consequences, NM.  Richard is preceded in death by father Henry J. Hughes, mother Alma Grace (Peggy) Stevens Hughes, brother and best friend James Stevens Hughes, brothers-in-law Lawrence Paradee and Dale Mays, and nephew Carl Edwin Cooper, Jr (Eddie).  Richard is survived by sisters Jennie Lou Mays of Shawnee, OK, Mardine Cooper and husband Carl of Roswell, and Peggy Ann Paradee of Katy, TX.  He is also survived by 13 nieces and nephews:  Nanci Sackman (and husband Gary), Richard Mays, Robert Mays, Diana Woods, Steve Hughes, Sandie Gallagher, Marcie Wilson, Wendell Cooper, Brian Cooper, Martin Cooper, Lari Paradee, Sheri Paradee, and Craig Paradee.  Richard was very fond of all and all loved him very much.  Richard led a clean life and was a hero to all who knew him.

Richard and his brothers and sisters have always been very close.  They knew they had such wonderful parents and grandparents setting the example how to live and giving us a good start in life. They shared many good meals and holiday times with my sisters and brothers and their families, and he knew he had the best brother a guy could have.
Services will be held at South Park Cemetery on Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 1:00 pm with Bishop Wendell Cooper officiating and Brian Cooper assisting.

Memorials can be contributed to the Cowboy Bell Scholarship Fund at First United Methodist Church, 200 N. Pennsylvania, Roswell, New Mexico 88201.