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Shirley Darlene Huntley Hughes, age 69, died of cancer on Friday, November 2nd, in Simpsonville, SC. She was a resident of Cordele, GA, a member of Third Street Baptist Church and a past member of the Cordele Garden Club.

A patient of the Greenville Health System’s Cancer Institute, Greenville, SC, for over three years, she was under the care of Hospice (Caris Healthcare) at her time of death. On her behalf, the family expresses her deep appreciation for the fine doctors, nurses and staff who have been a great blessing to her in her struggle with cancer.

She was born in Buncombe County, NC, on April 6, 1949, to Norman Jay and Wilma Jean (Reed) Huntley, Sr., and was the eldest of her surviving siblings, Norman Jay Huntley, Jr., of Fairview, NC, and Nancy Dianne Lance, also of Fairview, NC. In addition, she is survived by her mother (Wilma) and one aunt, Francis Reed.

She was married on December 20, 1970, in Hendersonville County, NC, to Richard James Hughes of Chicago, IL. She is survived by her devoted husband, two loving children – Bethany McNeely (William “Mac”) of Harmony, PA, and Benjamin Hughes (Hanna) of Gray Court, SC — and six adorable grandchildren — Samantha McNeely, Jessi Hughes, Madison McNeely, Liam McNeely, Sterling Hughes and Ila Hughes.

A graduate of Bob Jones University, she served her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, as a wife, a mother, and a teacher at both Tabernacle Christian Schools and Tabernacle Baptist College in Greenville, SC, a pastor’s wife at Third Street Baptist Church in Cordele, GA, and as the wife of an evangelist from 2004 until the time of her death. Her “joy” was to be a help to others.

A visitation well be held at Fletcher Funeral Services, 1218 N. Main Street, Fountain Inn, SC, beginning at 7 p.m. on Monday, November 5th. The funeral service will be held at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 3931 White Horse Road, Greenville, SC, on Tuesday, November 6th, at 11 a.m.

Attending ministers will include Dr. Joel Logan, pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church; Reverend Stephen Cox, pastor of Bible Baptist Church, Simpsonville, SC; and her husband, Dr. Richard Hughes, evangelist.

Burial will be at Hoopers Creek Baptist Church, Fletcher, NC, around 3 p.m. on the day of the funeral. The Reverend Philip Youngblood, pastor of Hoopers Creek Baptist Church, will be attending.

The family thanks you for your prayers and your kind expressions of support. Direct your cards to Richard Hughes, P.O. Box 541, Cordele, GA 31010.