James "Scotty" Hughes

September 18, 1939 - December 13, 2018

James "Scotty" Hughes, 79, was promoted to Glory December 13, 2018, while at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Medical Center. Scotty was a faithful servant, loving husband, brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Born September 18, 1939, to James and Mary Hughes in Glasgow, Scotland, James was the second oldest of four children: Margaret, himself, John "Iain" and Mae were raised in the Glasgow neighborhood of "Sunny Govan" as he would say.

Scotty attended trade school and served his Steamfitters apprenticeship in Scotland, starting at the age of 16, and worked until he retired at the age of 64 in Bakersfield, California.

James and his late wife, Jill, immigrated to California in December of 1964. In 1965 they moved to Medfield, MA, where they lived until moving to Bakersfield in July of 1979, to the home they enjoyed raising their children in and where he lived out the rest of his days.

James served the Lord in the Corps of Govan's Salvation Army and as Band Master at the Bakersfield Salvation Army. He sang in the Bakersfield Masterworks Chorale, was Chieftain of the Kern Scottish Society and held many offices with the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union #460.

After knee-replacement surgery in 2004, Scotty met Estelle Jackson. They were married in Scotland in 2008. He and Estelle loved ballroom dancing and joined the Bakersfield Smooth Dancers where they were members for ten years.

James is preceded in death by his parents, his infant daughter, Valerie Susan, and wife of 36 years, Lilian Jill Hughes.

James is survived by wife, Estelle Jackson; sister, Margaret and husband Neil Buchan; brother, Iain Hughes; sister, Mae and husband Ian McPhee; brother-in-law, Thomas and wife Elaine Wright; son, Derek and wife Erika Hughes; daughter, Stephanie Hughes; Grandchildren, Heather and Thomas Hughes and a number of nieces, nephews and great-grandchildren.

Services will be held Saturday, January 26, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., at Hillcrest Memorial Park, with a Celebration of Life immediately following at the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local #460 Union Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Salvation Army.

Published in Bakersfield Californian from Jan. 20 to Jan. 24, 2019