James C. Hughes

James Hughes, 91, of Mt. Pleasant, passed away Monday, September 5, 2011, at the Isabella County Medical Care Facility. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Loren Kalinowski presiding. Friends may pay their respects to Jim on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. at Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home, 2300 S. Lincoln Rd., in Mt. Pleasant. There will be a Vigil service at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church on Friday one hour prior to Mass. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Jim Hughes Scholarship Fund which is being established at the CMU School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home and church. Jim was born as Julius Caesar Horvatich on Dec. 29, 1919, in Merrill, son of the late George and Veronika (Francetic) Horvatich. He legally changed his name to James C. Hughes later in life. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1942-1945. In addition to his many years in radio broadcast, Jim worked in the Isabella County prosecutors office, eventually retiring in 2006. He was preceded in death by his sister Lillian Bluemlein; and brother, Lyle Ahrens.