Leslie Fredrick Hughes

“Fred” Hughes passed away on June 27, 2025 at the age of 89. He was born on June 22, 1936 in North Dakota and grew up in Veneta, OR with parents, Fran and Kenneth (“Pop”) Larsen, four sisters and one brother. Fred served in the U.S. Navy as a radioman from 1954-1957 after graduating from Elmira High School. He was a Korean War veteran and member of the American Legion.

Fred then began a 26-year career with the Central Intelligence Agency, serving in various assignments taking him, his first wife and two children all over the world. Fred retired from government service in 1981 and then worked in the private sector for businesses such as Spectra-Physics in Eugene, OR.

Fred remarried on June 19, 1993 to Susan (“Sue”) Umphlett, who had two daughters. They stayed in the Eugene area with their extended family for over thirty years before moving to the Hillsboro area to be closer to grandchildren. Sue passed away on September 16, 2023.

Fred was an avid fan of Ford mustangs, beer and sports. He was a member of the Lane Mustang Club and loved NASCAR (drivers Ryan Blaney, Dale Jarrett), the NFL (Washington Commanders, Seattle Seahawks), college football (Oregon State Beavers), and baseball (New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners). He also enjoyed fishing and hunting.

Fred is survived by one son, Dennis Hughes of Trinity, NC; three daughters, Denise Tucker of Veneta, OR and Jennifer Bren and Amy Umphlett of Beaverton, OR; seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and many other close family and friends.

Please join his family for a committal service at Willamette National Cemetery on Friday, July 11, 2025 from 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM. The address is 11800 SE Mt. Scott Blvd., Portland, OR 97086. Please arrive no later than 15 minutes prior to the committal and check in at the main office. You will be given directions to the staging area. A cemetery representative will lead those in the party from the staging area in a vehicle procession to the committal shelter for the service. You may contact Amy Umphlett at 503-290-8439 with any questions regarding the committal service.

Fred will be greatly missed by all!!