Dr. Robert Don Hughes ("Dr. Bob" to friends and students), age 74, passed away on November 23, 2023 at his home in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Born November 14, 1949, in Ventura, California, Dr."Bob" was a beloved father, brother, uncle, writer, and esteemed professor.

Dr. Bob loved the Lord, football, drama, writing, teaching, missions, and people. He played football in High school, began the "Drama Trio" at California Baptist College, wrote plays for churches, often dressed in costume as various bible characters to bring his teaching to life, and was a filmmaker while serving overseas in Africa. He was also a writer of both secular fantasy and science fiction (including his "Pelman the Powershaper" series) and books about missions ("Talking to the World in the Days to Come"). His religious work "Satan's Whispers" was chosen by the Billy Graham Association as a gift to supporters in the early 90's.

Dr. Hughes studied at the University of Redlands, received his B.A. from California Baptist College, his M.Div from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he would later serve as both Associate Vice president of External Programs as well as Associate Professor of Communications and Mass Media. He was a professor of Missions and Evangelism at Clear Creek Baptist Bible College in Pineville, KY, and for a time also taught at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY. One of the fondest memories of his cross-culturalism students was the way he began each year's classes by jumping on desks with a necktie tied around his head, telling them: "I'm required to wear a necktie, but it is not stipulated as to where I must wear it."

Over the course of his career, Dr. Bob made a significant impact on the lives of many. In addition to teaching he served as a Youth Pastor, a Journeyman to Zambia, a pastor in KY, and with his wife, Gail Hughes, from 1980-84, a missionary in Nigeria where their daughter Bronwynn was born. After retirement, he made his home in Guthrie, Oklahoma, in order to be nearer to his sister Peggy Williams of Edmond, Oklahoma. He is preceded in death by his wife, (Teresia) Gail Hughes; his father, Robert Dale Hughes; his mother, Ruth Naomi Hughes; his brother, John Orville Hughes, and his wife Sandy; and mother in law Geraldine Smith. He is survived by his loving daughter Bronwynn Gabrielle Hughes, his sister Peggy Hughes Williams, her husband Don, and father in law Heflin Smith. He will also be fondly remembered by other extended family members, students, friends, and all who knew him.

A memorial service to celebrate Dr. Bob Hughes will be held at 1:00 pm Thursday, December 21, 2023 from the First Baptist Church of Kinston.