In Memory
Hollis Eugene Hughes Jr.
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Hollis Eugene Hughes, Jr.
March 14, 1943 ~ November 22, 2025
South Bend - Hollis E. Hughes, Jr., 82, passed away on Saturday, November 22, 2025 in his home. Funeral Services will be 11am on Monday, December 8, 2025, in Olivet AMC Church 719 Notre Dame Ave. South Bend, IN 46617, with visitation from 10-11am. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. Palmer Funeral Home – West Chapel is assisting the family. For complete obituary, see www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.
From WSBT:
Hollis Hughes, a prominent member of both the South Bend and Ball State University communities, has died at 82.
A letter from Ball State President Geoffrey Mearns highlighted Hughes' life:
"I am profoundly saddened to share that Hollis Hughes — a two-time graduate and a member of our Board of Trustees for more than two decades — passed away over the weekend. He was 82.
Mr. Hughes was a beloved member of our University community. He attended Ball State in the early 1960s, when segregated housing policies required him to live off campus in the Whitely community. As an undergraduate student, he was a member of the Greek fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, and he engaged in service projects as a member of Alpha Phi Omega. Mr. Hughes earned his bachelor’s degree from Ball State in 1965 and his master’s degree in 1972.
Mr. Hughes began his professional career as a teacher and athletic coach in South Bend, where he lived most of his life following his family’s move from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mr. Hughes then became director of South Bend’s Model Cities Program, for which he was responsible for allocating federal resources to local government agencies and citizen groups. He later became director of South Bend’s Bureau of Housing, director of the St. Joseph County Housing Allowance Office, director of the Housing Assistance Office, and executive director of the St. Joseph County Housing Authority.
In addition to his fulfilling career, Mr. Hughes led a meaningful life in service to his community. His volunteer role with the United Way of St. Joseph County led to his final career appointment in 1994 as president and CEO of the non-profit agency, a position he held until his retirement in 2007.
As an engaged, devoted, and very proud graduate of our University, Mr. Hughes served as a board member of our Ball State University Foundation, the Alumni Council, and the Black Alumni Council. In 1989, he joined our Board of Trustees. During his 27-year tenure on the Board, Mr. Hughes served as president (2011-14) and as secretary (2006-11).
Mr. Hughes was instrumental in helping to shape the growth of our campus, especially during the Ball State Bold and Cardinal Commitment capital campaigns. His retirement from the Board was commemorated in 2017 with the naming of Hollis E. Hughes Jr. Assembly Hall in the Alumni Center. Among the awards and recognitions he received from our University include the Benny Award (1989), Outstanding Black Alumni (1989), the President’s Medal (2017), and our Distinguished Alumni Award (2024). In 2016, Mr. Hughes also received a Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana’s highest civilian honor.
Hollis’s contributions to his alma mater elevated our University in profound and meaningful ways. Since becoming president of Ball State in 2017, I had the good fortune to benefit from his wise counsel, his steadfast encouragement, and his generous support. He was a friend, a mentor, and an inspiration to all of us. He showed us how to lead with courage and humility. I am grateful for my many interactions with him over the years, especially the wisdom he shared with me last year as a guest on my podcast.
Hollis is survived by his wife of three years, Ms. Roxann Johnson-Hughes, and his three stepchildren. He was preceded in death by Ms. Lavera Knight Hughes, his first wife of 49 years who was also a Ball State graduate."
11/28/2025 DEC
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