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Roland
Hughes 6 Aug 1920 - 28 Apr
2013
South Taranaki has lost one of its
finest in Roly (Roland) Hughes - a well-known sportsman, farmer and
Returned Serviceman who died on April 28.
Roly, who played cricket in his
younger days for Auroa, Manaia and was a member of the revival of the
Normanby Cricket Club in the 60s, fell seven years short of his century,
passing away at 93.
He captained the Manaia team that won
a South Taranaki title, a feat his son Brenton achieved also as captain in
1992. His other sons, Larry and Richard, were also handy cricketers, the
latter playing minor county cricket in England.
Finishing his cricket days at
Normanby, Roly retired in his mid-40s, then traded in his whites for an
umpiring coat.
Next was an administration role and
later he became chairman of the South Taranaki Cricket Association.
When World War II broke out Roly
enlisted, seeing action in the Pacific with the RNZAF and on his return in
1945 he married his sweetheart, Myra Wren.
He met Myra before the war and they
kept their love alive by writing each other hundreds of letters before
entering into a marriage that lasted 67 years. They embarked on a farming
life at Otakeho, Inaha, Mokoia, Awatuna and Otakeho.
Ill health caused Roly to give up
farming to work at the Riverdale dairy factory for five years. Then in
1962 they moved to Tokoroa to take over the Hughes/Wren farms. They built
a new house on the farm and 16 years later moved to Dives Avenue in
Hawera. His last few years were spent at his Marie St address.
After retiring to town Roly became a
director of the then Hawera Star and later started a courier service
called Star Couriers. His son Brenton now runs the business.
Roly and Myra have six children:
Larry, Randall, Gaelyn, Brenton, Coralie and Richard, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
9/5/2013 South Taranaki News (Correspondent
Cliff Hunt)
